June 26, 2026, 6:00 PM
Nature At The Confluence, South Beloit, Illinois
In this presentation, Kim will discuss what was happening in the country regarding Native Americans at the time the Declaration of Independence was signed. She will discuss how the signing of that document affected the Native people and whether it mentioned them. She will also discuss how the government and its people viewed Native Americans and the consequences of those views. Kim will emphasize the impact the document had on the lives of the Native people and what ultimately was lost, and how those fundamental differences between the government and the Native people ultimately led to conflicts. Kim will also explain how Native people viewed their land and why the ultimate loss of it negatively impacted them. Kim will discuss how they once lived, worked the land, and raised their children, and explain what was lost of their culture as western expansion moved forward.
Kim will lead the audience into the lives of the Native people through a traditional story and song. The audience will have the chance to learn music, drum, sing, and play other Native American instruments. Traditional native foods will also be discussed, and a recipe will be handed out. This presentation will end with a Q&A with the audience.
This program is part of By the People: Conversations Beyond 250, a series of community-driven programs created by humanities councils in collaboration with local partners. The initiative was developed by the Federation of State Humanities Councils and the Smithsonian Center for Folklife and Cultural Heritage.
