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The System of Assimilation:
Indian Boarding Schools
From 1879–1983, the federal government operated more than 400 Indian Boarding Schools designed for Native American children. These schools aimed not only to educate, but to erase Native cultures, languages, and identities. Michigan was home to five of these institutions.
Michigan Anishnaabek in the Civil War
Michigan had the largest, all-Indian regiment in the Union Army: Company K. This group of Anishnaabek fought in pivotal battles that helped shape American history, yet little is known about them. This talk will discuss the details of the company and the complexity of their involvement in the war.
Thursday, March 19, 2026, at 6:00 PM
Loutit District Library | Program Room A
March 20, 2026, at 2:00 PM
Hackley Public Library
Chief Waukazoo’s Band of Odawa Indians
Before Holland, Black Lake. The Odawa history of the Holland area before Dutch settlement. This conversation will touch upon the history of Chief Waukazoo's band of Odawa at Black Lake and their odyssey to maintain a permanent home in their ancestral lands.
March 20, 2026, at 5:00 PM
Herrick District Library Main Branch
Meet Your Presenter
This series is presented by Eric Hemenway, an Anishinaabe/Odawa. Eric is Humanities Manager for the School of Environmental and Sustainability at the University of Michigan.
He has a lifelong involvement in researching Odawa history. He has collaborated widely with museums, universities, the National Park Service, schools, and various governments in conducting and presenting research to a wide range of audiences, including to students, staff, faculty, and the general public.
