Native American Heritage

Follow Archaeologist Darla Spencer as she discovers the history and habits of 16 Native American sites in West Virginia.

Once thought of as Indian hunting grounds with no permanent inhabitants, West Virginia is teeming with evidence of a thriving early native population. Today's farmers can hardly plow their fields without uncovering ancient artifacts, evidence of at least ten thousand years of occupation. Members of the Fort Ancient culture resided along the rich bottomlands of southern West Virginia during the Late Prehistoric and Protohistoric periods. Lost to time and rediscovered in the 1880s, Fort Ancient sites dot the West Virginia landscape. This volume explores sixteen of these sites, including Buffalo, Logan and Orchard. Archaeologist Darla Spencer excavates the fascinating lives of some of the Mountain State's earliest inhabitants in search of who these people were, what languages they spoke and who their descendants may be.

Explore accounts of Oklahoma’s Freedmen as told by their descendants in these stories of resistance and resilience on the Western frontier. The Freedmen of Oklahoma were black people, both enslaved and free, who had been living among the Indian nations. After the official abolition of slavery in 1866, they forged an identity as their own people as they faced the challenges of the western frontier. By 1906, before Oklahoma statehood, over 20,000 people were classified as “Freedmen” from Five Tribes: Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole Nations. For decades, their descendants have been rediscovering their family history and restoring its place in the larger narrative. Angela Walton-Raji has compiled this collection of stories, told by descendants from all five tribes, to ensure that the Freedmen of Oklahoma claim their vibrant part of the state’s heritage.

Read the missing stories of DC’s precolonial history. Native Americans lived on the land that is now Washington, DC for several thousand years before English settlers arrived in the early 1600s. The Native people had villages, quarries and burial grounds throughout the city, ranging from what is now Rock Creek Park to the grounds of the White House. These sites speak of the history of the Anacostans and the preceding tribes who once walked the land under historic sites and museums that now neglect them. Local author Armand Lione details the record of the Native tribes of the District and deals with the complex question of why these stories have not been offered to the public.

A tradition that dates back almost ten thousand years, basketry is an integral aspect of Cherokee culture. Cherokee Basketry describes the craft's forms, functions and methods and records the tradition's celebrated makers.

In the mountains of Western North Carolina, stunning baskets are still made from rivercane, white oak and honeysuckle and dyed with roots and bark. This complex art, passed down from mothers to daughters, is a thread that bonds modern Native Americans to ancestors and traditional ways of life. Anna Fariello, associate professor at Western Carolina University, reveals that baskets hold much more than food and clothing. Woven with the stories of those who produce and use them, these masterpieces remain a powerful testament to creativity and imagination.

Discover the stories, history and meaning of Cherokee pottery and artists.

The intricate designs and complex patterns of Cherokee pottery have been developed over centuries. Both timeless and time-honored, these singular works of pottery are still crafted by the proud hands of Cherokee women in Western North Carolina. Cherokee Pottery recounts the history of a tradition passed from elder to child through countless generations. Anna Fariello, associate professor at Western Carolina University, explores the method and meaning molded into each piece, along with the stories of the potters themselves.

A history of the Narragansett Tribe of RI from early European encounters to the tribe's return to sovereignty in the 20th Century.

Before Roger Williams set foot in the New World, the Narragansett farmed corn and squash, hunted beaver and deer, and harvested clams and oysters throughout what would become Rhode Island. They also obtained wealth in the form of wampum, a carved shell that was used as currency along the eastern coast. As tensions with the English rose, the Narragansett leaders fought to maintain autonomy. While the elder Sachem Canonicus lived long enough to welcome both Verrazzano and Williams, his nephew Miatonomo was executed for his attempts to preserve their way of life and circumvent English control. Historian Robert A. Geake explores the captivating story of these Native Rhode Islanders.

Tragically, relatively little of this flourishing nation and its rich culture has survived. Its stories, however, live on today.

In this priceless and engaging collection, native Cherokee and professional storyteller Lloyd Arneach recounts tales such as how the bear lost his long bushy tail and how the first strawberry came to be.

“We do not know how to commence farming, but we are all willing to try.”—Crow leader Iron Bull

On May 7, 1868, the Treaty of Fort Laramie forever altered the Crow way of life, defining reservation boundaries and establishing a federal agency. Initially stationed at Fort Parker in 1869, the agency headquarters was later moved to Absaroka in 1875. These early agencies faced numerous challenges including the rapid westward expansion, violations of the treaty, land negotiations, railroad construction, educational obstacles, and a dwindling buffalo population. This situation necessitated the Crows to adopt farming, thought idyllic for transitioning them into American society. Faced with hunger and new struggles of subsistence, Crow leaders chose to adapt the skills necessary to sustain their tribe. Author Patty Molinaro recounts the shifting boundaries and historic pivotal period for the Crow nation.

“A thoughtful narrative that gives greater context to the contributions of Native Americans to the success of Spanish, French and English colonists.” —Savannah Morning News

Savannah’s storied history begins with Native Americans. The Guales lived along the Georgia coast for hundreds of years and were the first to encounter Spanish missionaries from St. Augustine in the 1500s. Tomochichi of the Yamacraw tribe is lauded as the cofounder of Georgia for his efforts in helping James Oglethorpe establish the Savannah colony in the eighteenth century.

In 1830, President Andrew Jackson forced southeastern Native American tribes to resettle in the West, including descendants of the Savannah Creek, who had fought by Jackson’s side at the Battle of Horseshoe Bend.

Michael Freeman explores the legacy of coastal Georgia’s Native Americans and the role they played in founding Savannah.

A Harrowing Heritage of Resilience

Beginning in the 1820s, Indian removal saw scores of families of African descent forced west alongside the so-called Five Civilized Tribes. The Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole Nations all brought their own slaves on the arduous, obligatory journey. These tribes demonstrated shared patterns—including Native women enslavers—as well as important distinctions. Seminole records more frequently preserved the names of their enslaved, reflecting resistance to removal and the central role of Black Seminoles. But enslaved people were present at every stage of removal, even when misclassified or omitted entirely from official records. Power operated differently within each tribe. Gender shaped vulnerability and authority. Enslavement and forced migration reconfigured tribal societies during one of the most traumatic periods in their histories. Drawing on oral accounts and extensive documentation, Terry J. Ligon’s unique scholarship restores voice and lineage to the remarkable survival of those carried west in bondage on the Trail of Tears. 

In the earliest days of America's founding, Vermont stands out: a consitution that banned slavery outright and allowed those without land the right to vote, created a fertile ground for those cast aside in neighboring states--women, native american and african american people--to thrive and to to lead.

Vermont's constitution, drafted in 1777, was one of the most enlightened documents of its time, but in contrast, the history of Vermont has largely been told through the stories of influential white men. This book takes a fresh look at Vermont's history, uncovering hidden stories, from the earliest inhabitants to present-day citizens striving to overcome adversity and be advocates for change. Native Americans struggled to maintain an identity in the state while their land and rights were disappearing. Lucy Terry Prince was the first female African American poet who rose above racism to argue her case before Vermont's governor and won. Educator and historian Cynthia Bittinger unearths these and other inspirational stories of the contributions of women, Native Americans and African Americans to Vermont's history.

The Catawba—one of the few original Native American communities of the Carolinas—have a rich and fascinating history that can be dated to 2400 BC.

While the Catawba once were the inhabitants of a large swath of land that covered parts of North and South Carolina, after managing to remain in the Carolinas during the notorious Trail of Tears, most Catawba now live on a reservation in York County, South Carolina. In Catawba Nation: Treasures in History, Thomas J. Blumer seeks to preserve and present the history of this resilient people. Blumer chronicles Catawba history, such as Hernando de Soto's meeting with the Lady of Cofitachique, the leadership of Chief James Harris and the fame of potter Georgia Harris, who won the National Heritage Award for her art. Using an engaging mix of folklore, oral history and historical records, Blumer weaves an accessible history of the tribe, preserving their story of suffering and survival for future generations.

Thirteen Master Carvers. One Enduring Legacy

For generations, Cherokee people in North Carolina shaped their world with their hands. Every object needed to live, work, and gather—from tools to ceremonial items—was made through practiced skill and shared knowledge. Rooted in an oral tradition, Cherokee history is preserved not primarily through written records, but through material culture. These objects stand as living evidence of belief systems, values, and continuity passed from one generation to the next.

Wood carving occupies a vital place within this tradition. Although time, environmental loss, and forced disruption have erased much early archaeological evidence, the knowledge itself endured. Unlike many craft traditions that faded with the rise of mass-produced goods, Cherokee carving remained a respected and active practice. Hand skill, technique, and cultural meaning continued to be valued, refined, and taught.

Pipes, masks, figures, sculpture, and bas-relief carvings from the early twentieth century to the present illustrate the depth, craftsmanship, and cultural meaning of Cherokee carving traditions. Each piece was made with intention—whether functional, ceremonial, or ornamental—and reflects a deep connection between the maker and the community. These carvings are expressive and tactile, shaped by both personal vision and shared heritage.

Biographical profiles explore the lives and creative paths of thirteen accomplished Cherokee carvers, offering insight into their training, influences, and responsibilities as cultural bearers. Together, the works and stories presented form a clear record of Cherokee carving as a living tradition—one defined by resilience, innovation, and mastery.

Anna Fariello is a cultural curator and researcher who, through Curatorial insight, has organized more than forty museum exhibitions, heritage sites, and archival collections documenting traditional craft and material culture.

A Harrowing Heritage of Resilience

During the era of Indian Removal, scores of men, women and children of African descent were forced west alongside the Choctaw, Chickasaw, Cherokee, Muscogee (Creek), and Seminole Nations.