JACKSON, Wyo. — Why do Native American people feel it important to remind others that “we are still here?” How did the massive land transfer from tribes to the United States take place, and how might we render an honest accounting of its costs and benefits? How should we understand the unique political status of tribal nations?
Visiting Western Scholar Philip J. Deloria says his upcoming talk called “The Five Things that Indians Say” will delve into these questions and more. Deloria is one of America’s most distinguished historians and the current Leverett Saltonstall Professor of History at Harvard University, as well as a Yankton Dakota author of several books.
Deloria’s free talk takes place on Thursday, Aug. 14, at 6:30 p.m. on the outside deck at the Jackson Hole History Museum. It will be followed by a book signing with books available for purchase.
Deloria says attendees can expect him to talk about issues surrounding Native American people in relation to the United States, looking closely at new histories, innovations in Native arts and cultures, and the emergent world of global indigeneity.
As a scholar, Deloria’s work has reshaped the understanding of Native American history and American identity. His research and teaching focus on the social, cultural and political histories of the relations among American Indian peoples and the United States.
“The annual Western Scholars series has become a special part of the year for the History Museum. We continue to broaden perspectives and narratives we share with the Jackson Hole community. By bringing in speakers like Philip Deloria, we’re connecting local history to the wider stories of the American West, enriching our collective understanding and honoring the many voices that shape this region,” said Executive Director Morgan Jaouen.
Deloria is the author of several books, including “Playing Indian,” “Indians in Unexpected Places” and “Becoming Mary Sully: Toward an American Indian Abstract,” as well as two co-edited books including “Nation to Nation” and numerous articles and chapters.
He received a Ph.D. in American Studies from Yale University and has taught at the University of Colorado and the University of Michigan. He has been a long-serving trustee of the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of the American Indian, president of the American Studies Association, the Organization of American Historians and the Society of American Historians, and he is an elected member of the American Philosophical Society and the American Academy of Arts and Sciences.
For more information, visit jacksonholehistory.org or call 307.733.2414.
