Grant Overstake Featured on PBS Kansas’ One on One with Victor Hogstrom
Grant Overstake discusses the historical foundation of “The Real Education of TJ Crowley” during his appearance on PBS Kansas’ “One on One with Victor Hogstrom.
The Full Interview is Now Available Online
Grant Overstake was recently featured in a full half hour episode of “One on One with Victor Hogstrom,” the long running public affairs program produced by PBS Kansas and hosted by station president and CEO Victor Hogstrom.
Victor Hogstrom interviews Grant Overstake in a full half hour public television conversation focused on storytelling, history, and civic engagement.
The program places regional leaders, artists, and public figures in sustained conversation, offering viewers an opportunity to hear directly from guests in a focused, uninterrupted format. Overstake’s appearance centers on his Wichita roots, the historical foundation of The Real Education of TJ Crowley, and the ongoing work of The Real Education Project.
The episode traces Overstake’s early reporting career at the Wichita Eagle, his years at the Miami Herald, and his decision to return to Wichita to undertake the research and writing that would become The Real Education of TJ Crowley: Coming of Age on the Redline.
During the conversation, he describes the guiding principle behind the project:
“I think we need to build bridges over the fences that divide us. And I think we can do it by listening.”
One on One with Victor Hogstrom,” produced by PBS Kansas, features extended conversations with regional leaders, artists, and civic voices across South Central Kansas.
Set in 1968, The Real Education of TJ Crowley engages the local impact of national events including the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., the passage of the Fair Housing Act, and the early tensions surrounding integration. Overstake explains how those realities shaped the story’s central conflict:
“This story captures that time in history after the death of Martin Luther King, the passage of the Fair Housing Act, and the beginning of busing. [TJ] has to find out for himself and he has to make some really tough choices even though it’s going to cost him something.”
The historical research behind the novel has led to its use in academic settings, including Dr. Jay Price’s history of Wichita course at Wichita State University.
“So that’s a testimony to the accuracy and the work that went into it.”
Overstake reflects on resilience, sharing a lesson he often repeated to his children: “Don’t quit on a bad day.”
The interview also addresses the adaptation of the novel by the author and acclaimed producer/director May Wuthrich into a full cast audio drama featuring fifteen actors and original music performed by the ARISE Ensemble.
That production received the Audie Award for Best Young Adult Audiobook, the industry’s highest award.
Reflecting on returning to Wichita to embark on the decade-long project, Overstake noted:
“Being able to come back to Wichita, find a story, gather people around the story, and now be able to share the story as a piece of history is a wonderful time.”
Asked, "What is the most important lesson you've learned about resilience?"
Overstake replied, "Don't quit on a bad day, Victor. That's I think is probably the best lesson that I taught myself.”
The full PBS Kansas episode of “One on One with Victor Hogstrom” is available here:
The complete PBS Kansas interview is now available:
About The Real Education Project
Founded in Wichita, The Real Education Project supports schools, libraries, and civic institutions in using immersive narrative to strengthen historical understanding and civil discourse. Learn more here.
