Re-Centering Native Women in Zhegagoynak (Chicago) History
Though dominated by Neshnabé people throughout the first decades of the 19th century, historical and contemporary narratives of early Chicago primarily feature male, non-Native settlers. Based on re-readings of archival sources from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, this presentation re-centers the essential role that Native women played in Chicago’s early history. Marriages between Native women and non-Native traders were common across the Great Lakes and Native women played the critical roles of translators, guides to land and waterways, and instructors of Native protocols for their husbands. As white settlement expanded, many also began to play a larger role in negotiations over land, business, and even violence in Chicago. The decisions these women made to work within colonial trade and kinship structures were ultimately about protecting their families and advocating for their communities amidst American invasion and land dispossession in the Old Northwest.
Speaker
Dr. Rose Miron is the Vice President of Research and Education at the Newberry Library and Adjunct/Affiliate Faculty in the History Department and the Center for Native American and Indigenous Research at Northwestern University. Dr. Miron holds a BA in History and a PhD in American Studies from the University of Minnesota. A non-Native historian, her research explores Indigenous history across the Great Lakes, especially related to public history and memory. Her first book, Indigenous Archival Activism: Mohican Interventions in Public History and Memory (2024) is the winner of best book awards from the National Council of Public History, the Western Historical Association, and the Wisconsin Historical Society, and was awarded an Honorable Mention for Best First Book by the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association. Dr. Miron has also worked on and written about several public history projects. She is a co-director of the Indigenous Chicago project, a multifaceted public history project that was awarded the Best of Illinois History Award from the Illinois Historical Society. Her work on repatriation, digital projects, and representations of Indigenous history in the public has been published by the journal Native American and Indigenous Studies, Routledge Press, the Chicago Tribune, and the National Council on Public History.
About Colloquium
Colloquium is a weekly series of talks featuring staff, fellows, and scholars who are working with the library’s vast collections. These events bring together experts from various fields to share their research on a wide range of topics, followed by an opportunity for the audience to ask questions and engage in conversation.
Colloquium is open to the public and offers a chance to explore fascinating ideas and new discoveries. No advance registration is required.