Offered through Humanities North Dakota, this on-line class is open to people everywhere who want to deepen their understanding of the Great Plains, learn how to do family research and how to find themselves in the story of America’s dispossession of Native lands. Details below. Register here.
In this book club style course, participants will read two to three chapters a week and attend our 90 minute classes prepared to discuss, question and learn. I’ll be sharing stories behind the stories and photographs featured in the book, explaining how I did my research, and offering tips for how to conduct your own family history, and how to find yourself in this American history of Native land dispossession. In several classes, special guests who appear in the pages of The Cost, will join us for a conversation.
Course and Reading Schedule:
Sunday, September 15, 3:30-5 p.m. CDT. (In advance of class, please read the prologue and Chapter 1)
Sunday, September 22, 3:30-5 p.m. CDT. (In advance of class, please read Chapters 2, 3, and 4)
Sunday, September 29, 3:30-5 p.m. CDT. (In advance of class, please read Chapters 5 and 6)
Sunday, October 6: NO CLASS.
Sunday, October 13, 3:30-5 p.m. CDT. (In advance of class, please read Chapters 7, 8, and 9)
Sunday, October 20, 3:30-5 p.m. CDT: (In advance of class, please read Chapter 10, the Epilogue and the Author’s Note. We will be discussing the Resources for Further Research Section which is in the back of the book and also available as a free download on my website.
Homework:
The only homework is to read along with the group in prep for our discussions. Bring any and all questions and comments to class. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts!
In-class activities:
Typically, we will begin each class with a short piece of writing that inspired me during the creation of The Cost of Free Land. Then, we’ll split into small groups for 15 minutes to discuss questions that I’ll provide. After reconvening, we’ll share in the larger group any of our gleaned insights and I’ll be glad to answer any of your questions. In each class, I’ll share a few slides of maps, family and archival photographs to help deepen your understanding of those chapter’s content. We’ll be joined in at least two, possibly three classes by Jewish and Lakota leaders to help us grapple with the book’s content. On the alternate days, I’ll be offering guidance for the following: 1. How to do family research? How to write about your family, reveal hard family secrets, and maintain your relationship. 2. How to make this American history of Native land dispossession personal to you? What are the specific research tools that might help you find yourself, find the ways you and your family have benefited from the taking of Native lands? 3. How do we go on from here? Once we’ve learned a more nuanced and complicated history than we were taught in school, what do we do with this information? What might the future look like?