The United States created, funded and mandated Native American children to attend schools which focused on forced assimilation into American culture. Native languages, traditions, beliefs, etc. were systematically eradicated at these school. Odawa children from Northern Michigan would attend these schools across the country, as well as having one of these boarding schools operate at Harbor Springs, the Holy Childhood of Jesus Indian Boarding School. This talk will discuss the creation of the schools, with a focus on Northern Michigan.
Eric Hemenway
Eric is an Anishnaabe/Odawa from Cross Village, Michigan. He is the Director of Repatriation, Archives and Records for the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indian, a federally recognized tribe in northern Michigan. Eric works to collect and preserve historical information for LTBB Odawa. That information is used to support the LTBB government and create educational materials on Odawa history, such as: exhibits, signage, publications, presentations, curriculums and media. Eric has worked on numerous repatriations of native, human remains under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). He is a former member of the NAGPRA Review Committee and currently sits on boards for the Michigan Historical Commission and Little Traverse Conservancy.
North Central Michigan College • 1515 Howard Street, Petoskey, MI 49770
