Bobby BlueJacket: The Tribe, The Joint, The Tulsa Underworld

by Michael P. Daley

Bobby BlueJacket illuminates a neglected history of American crime, identity, and politics in the 20th century. This is the extraordinary true story of a man who went from career thief and convicted killer to celebrated prison journalist—ultimately becoming a respected Eastern Shawnee activist and orator. Bobby BlueJacket draws upon 5 years of interviews with the subject, long-buried law enforcement and trial records, prison archives, news accounts, and interviews with others such as photographer Larry Clark and veteran reporters of Tulsa's crime beat.

Born in 1930, BlueJacket came of age as a Native American in white Oklahoma—passing through teenage rumbles, scheming pool halls, and Midwest safecracker crews. While incarcerated, he remade himself as a prison journalist. By the 1970s, he would act as a political impresario, used tire salesman, prison rodeo emcee, and later as a venerable tribal elder. At each turn, BlueJacket sought out success and self-definition by any means necessary. More than just an underworld tale—Bobby BlueJacket is an in-depth exploration of one man’s experience in a brutal post-war world.

Bobby BlueJacket is illustrated with almost 90 photographs from never-before-seen personal archives, as well as images from prison publications and newspaper clippings.

“It’s a compelling read, full of violence and heart.” – Joshua Kline, This Land Press

“Insightful, angry, straightforward, reminiscent of the subterranean classic, You Can’t Win by Jack Black—Daley’s BlueJacket pulls no punches describing a long life as fascinating as it is heartbreaking in its details.” – Jack Womack, Random Acts of Senseless Violence and Elvissey

“This book is not only a fascinating and richly detailed biography of a wily child of the Great Depression who at an early age drifted into a life of serious crime and serious punishment, it is also an intimate portrait of his complex emotional and intellectual life. Bobby BlueJacket. The story is as good as the sound of his beautiful name.” – Ron Padgett, Bean Spasms and Oklahoma Tough: My Father, King of the Tulsa Bootleggers

Genres: True Crime, Nonfiction

752 pages, Paperback

Published February 2, 2018

About the author

Michael P. Daley is a writer and cultural historian. Daley’s work largely concerns politics, subcultures, crime, and art. He is a former counterculture archivist and political news editor.

Daley also runs First To Knock, an independent publishing company.

Reviews

[Valerity (Val) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an interesting and deeply involved book about the long life of Bobby BlueJacket, who grew up in Oklahoma a poor Indian boy who ached for flashy clothes with hollywood cuffs. It turned out to be a long book with lots of things to look at. It's full of much of life's heartbreak, life lessons learned, Tulsa history, prison culture and wonderful American Indian culture mixed in. Thanks for reading.

An advance digital copy was provided by NetGalley, author Michael P. Daley, and First To Knock, for my review.

[Rick Harsch · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant book. Imagine the book centering on a con who is quoted extensively throughout as he was at times eloquent, always appeared to be honest, wrote for prison papers, clearly read a great deal, but was a voice of mystery who raised philosophical questions inadvertantly...a very strange subject for a book of history that suggests that in the right hands anyone could be plucked from the crowd and in the proper hands and mind written into an iconic figure in a wide-ranging book of history and sociology, and, inevitably psychology.

[Eric · Rating 4 out of 5]

A definitive, scholarly, and very in-depth examination of the life of Eastern Shawnee Tribe member Bobby Bluejacket from 1930s Tulsa, Oklahoma to 2018. Bluejacket started out as a rough and tumble criminal only to later develop into a respected journalist and activist.

The book also examines the early underworld of Tulsa through Bluejacket's eyes and life.

Recommended to those that enjoy well-researched historical true crime books.

[Edward · Rating 5 out of 5]

In the reconstruction of Bobby BlueJacket, postwar Tulsa is rolled out like an intricately detailed dream of some lost and forgotten world. Drawing on source material consisting of legal transcripts, period photographs, and all manner of interwoven accounts, Daley's biography of this legendary figure feels neither pedantic nor sentimental. In direct language, BlueJacket's experiences are revealed here as something too extensive, too surreal, too enchanting, and too incredible to be made up.

The shuttered institutions, the defunct customs, the dubious escapades, the vernacular, the unadorned psyche: they are all here. This book reads like a missing link to the Wild West. I can't help but believe that Daley has accomplished something majestic with respect to Tulsa's untold history. I would recommend this book to anyone.

[Linda J. White · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a very long book. As an Oklahoma native and sharing a Shawnee ancestor with Bobby, (we are 3rd cousins) I am quite interested in reading about his very different (from mine) experience of childhood. It is heart rending to read of his struggles to survive. That he has survived and has his life now is remarkable. Our ancestors fought to keep our lives and our lands in Ohio, Indiana and Pennsylvania and finally, of course, couldn't. The forced removal from the Wapakeneta, and the Hog Creek Ohio
area in 1832 took our ancestors to the Shawnee Mission in Kansas, and once again forced to give up everything, were moved to Oklahoma in the late 1800's. The little town of Bluejacket, Craig County, Oklahoma was settled by our families. The Bluejackets now can be found all over the country; they served and died in the countries wars, taught (and are teaching) in our schools and universities, are doctors, nurses, accountants and artists, and appear to be mostly assimilated and successful. I am glad that Bobby's story is being told. We need to know more of what our success as a country has cost our native peoples. Each life is it's own unique contribution to the country we have. Thank you, Bobby, for sharing yours.

[Wyatt · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an early Christmas gift from someone who knew I was interested in True Crime (can't get enough.) I was initially perplexed, because while there is a good amount about a crime and investigation, the first half of this book mostly focuses on the historical circumstances that put the hero of the story in the place that he was when the crime was committed and the complicated factors that led to his imprisonment.

So in addition to being a fascinating behind the scenes courtroom drama, crime-scene investigation and imprisonment story, it is a cultural history of the Midwest, its native peoples, the industry that allowed the region to flourish (oil) and its later demise, but most of all a meticulously sourced and researched biography of a tenacious and fascinating man who would let nothing stop him from living his life, written at times with the accuracy and no-frills style of a courtroom report and at times like narrative prose.

I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of America, history, culture, heroes of literature, true crime, Native American studies, etc. It was a very fun and informative read. There's really something for everyone. Looking forward to Daley's next book. (note: it is very long)

[Chris Torie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting read covering an intriguing character that touched on many historical, social and cultural issues. Insightful not only from being well researched, but presentation included many writings and quotes from the subject. While covering a great deal of material, was written in a manner of a series of short stories to make it easier to read in a thoughtful manner.

[Zach Werbalowsky · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a fascinating book that if edited down may be five stars, but would lack some depth. Length is never a problem, but in a look at a person you can begin to say the same things. I would recommend though.

[Matt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thorough look at the Tulsa underworld and the evolution of the American prison system. Incredibly well researched which left the impression I myself had an intimate knowledge of the subject. Been loving the eclectic mix of everything this book imprint has to offer.

[Samantha Puc · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars. Full review to come on In Full Bleed .

[Dawnita Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Enjoyed reading some family history. I also enjoyed reading about the life of my special friend Bobby Blue Jacket.

[Thomas Fugett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Enlightening as a story of a redeemed 20th century Tulsa Native American criminal.
Indispensable as a portrait of 20th century Tulsa crime.

[Bailey’s Irish Cream · Rating 5 out of 5]

RIP Uncle. We miss you

[Chris · Rating 3 out of 5]

Robert Caro meets true crime. Impressive but exhausting.