(Re-)Moving the Frontier

(Re-)Moving the Frontier: Iowa Statehood and the Long History of Native-European Interactions

Iowa became a state of the Union in 1846, on territories from which Native peoples had been removed through treaties. This presentation will look at the history of European and American interactions with American Indians in the area leading up to statehood. The very names of "Iowa" or "Des Moines" refer to Native nations. We will explore some of their realities before and after statehood and discuss some of the legacies of that history for the present and future, with plenty of time for questions to follow the presentation.

Presenter: Sebastian Braun is a cultural anthropologist. He has worked with tribes mostly on the northern plains for over twenty years. He has taught classes on Native histories and cultures, health, laws and policies, environmental issues, languages, and other topics. He is the author of Buffalo Inc. American Indians and Economic Development; editor of Transforming Ethnohistories. Narrative, Meaning, and Community; and co-author of several textbooks on American Indian Studies.

Participate in-person or online. To participate via Zoom, click below:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86585489788?pwd=Nk5mclM1Y0JtRnNHeG5GVGZyTnJpQT09

Presented in partnership with Ames Public Library and Iowa State University American Indian Studies Program.