Archive Dive: Reinterpreting History with Native American Collections with One Book, One Philadelphia

Description

Turn the pages of preserved manuscripts penned by some of the first European colonists, early printed U.S. government documents related to Native American tribes, and the texts of rare books written by Indigenous peoples, as we challenge and reinterpret standard accounts of the relationships between Native Americans and European settler colonists.  Guided by passages from Arapaho-Cheyenne author Tommy Orange’s contemporary novel There There, during this hands-on event we will handle original historical artifacts while discussing erasure, privilege, authorship, access to the printing press, and the critical role of personal storytelling in constructing more accurate historical narratives.

Because of the hands-on nature of this event, participants are asked to arrive at least 15 minutes prior to start-time in order to deposit their bags in lockers and wash hands.

This program is presented in partnership with the Free Library’s of Philadelphia’s One Book, One Philadelphia.