Okie Term Analysis

A migrant from the Great Plains who went to California, often arriving on foot, to look for work. Many farmers left the Great Plains during the Great Depression. “Okie,” a pejorative which was intended to refer to people from the Southern Plains, particularly those from Oklahoma, was a bit of a misnomer. Most of the people who went to California were not from the Southern Plains. In fact, most nesters in the Southern Plains remained home, even during the worst of the Dust Bowl. Still, Okies had a poor reputation, aided by stereotypes about people from the Southern Plains. Those who made it to California’s Central Valley were met with signs that said, “Okies and Dogs Not Allowed Inside.”