Presented By: Inclusive History Project
Living with Treaties Conference
The 1817 Project, the University of Michigan, and the Western Expansion of the United States
In-person and virtual registration: http://myumi.ch/61n9J
Join us April 9-11, 2026, for Living with Treaties: The 1817 Project, the University of Michigan, and the Western Expansion of the United States. This hybrid conference will explore the role of treaties in the development of both the University of Michigan and the state of Michigan, while considering how their effects continue to resonate locally, regionally, and nationally today for an Indigenous present and future.
The conference will bring together members of Anishinaabe Tribal communities; U-M faculty, staff, and students; K-12 educators; scholars; tribal historians; and community activists for roundtable discussions, panels, and workshops that aim to inform and connect with non-specialist audiences.
Conference sessions will focus on key themes that include the role of treaties in the founding and development of the University of Michigan, such as the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs; the ongoing impact of 19th-century treaty agreements on tribal communities in the region; and the ways in which these treaties continue to shape contemporary Native activism and legal efforts. Discussions will also explore the broader histories of colonization and Indigenous dispossession across what is now the state of Michigan and the Midwest region of the U.S, with an eye to how local and regional histories provide valuable insights into broader national patterns.
The conference is free and open to all, and will be livestreamed and recorded. Registration is encouraged but not required. We will send out reminder emails and event updates when you register.
The Living with Treaties: The 1817 Project, the University of Michigan, and the Western Expansion of the United States Conference is part of The 1817 Project: Land, Culture, Memory, and Repair, one of the major research initiatives of the University of Michigan’s Inclusive History Project. Led by Eric Hemenway, Bethany Hughes, and Michael Witgen, The 1817 Project is a multi-disciplinary examination of the foundational land transfer by the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Boodewaadamii nations in the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs (also known as the Treaty of the Maumee Rapids), which was part of the University of Michigan’s 1817 origins in Detroit and subsequent relocation to Ann Arbor, as well the university’s ongoing connections to Indigenous land and contemporary issues of Native American student experience. Learn more about The 1817 Project at https://inclusivehistory.umich.edu/project-site/the-1817-project/.
The Living with Treaties: The 1817 Project, the University of Michigan, and the Western Expansion of the United States Conference is presented by the Inclusive History Project in partnership with the Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies (EIHS) and with the support of the Bentley Historical Library, Clements Library, the Department of American Culture, the Department of History, the Marsal Family School of Education, the Native American Student Association, the Native American Studies Program, Rackham Graduate School, Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA).
For questions or more information, contact inclusivehistory@umich.edu.
--
Schedule & Panel Descriptions
Day 1
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Welcome and Keynote Roundtable
5:30pm – 8:30pm
What Does it Mean to Live with Treaties? A Roundtable on Indigenous History
This keynote roundtable will bring together several renowned Indigenous scholars with expertise in Indigenous and U.S. history, as well as in tribal, federal, and constitutional law. Together, they will reflect on the past, present, and future of Indigenous History, including the fundamental issue of treaties and their downstream effects into the present. A central theme of this session is: where did Indigenous history start from, where is it going, and what challenges and obstacles remain within the field? The panel will also consider the more specific question of treaties, land, and dispossession within a broader, comparative framework that builds upon recent studies of “land grab” politics across U.S. history as a whole. Additionally, the speakers will reflect on a second theme central to their scholarship: that U.S. history cannot be understood without recognizing the central role of Indigenous histories and experiences.
5:30 – 6:30pm: Reception with light fare with the panelists.
6:30 – 8:30pm: Conference welcome, opening remarks, keynote roundtable, and public Q&A.
All events are open to the public. This roundtable is made possible through the partnership of the IHP-1817 Project and the Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies, who are co-sponsoring this event as part of their annual lecture series.
Speakers: Maggie Blackhawk, Ned Blackhawk, Matthew Fletcher, Michael Witgen
Moderator: Greg Dowd
--
Day 2
Friday, April 10, 2026
Day 2 Welcome & Session 1
9:15am – 11:00am
Why Study Michigan Now? Situating the University of Michigan and the Great Lakes Region in the Broader Histories of Native American Dispossession, Removal, “Land Grab” Politics, and U.S. Higher Education
This panel takes as a starting point the founding moment represented by the land transfer to U-M in Article 16 of the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs, but widens the scope of inquiry to include subsequent treaties and land transfer schemes that facilitated the development of the University and the state of Michigan. This panel will present the “receipts,” to visually represent the transfer of wealth from Native people to the citizens of the state of Michigan.
This panel will demonstrate that the histories of U-M, the state of Michigan, and the broader Great Lakes region are crucial contexts for understanding the broader histories of dispossession, removal, land grab politics, and the development of American higher education. Discussion of the 1817 Project, including an explanation of its origins and a showcase of its ongoing work, will illustrate how the project is addressing fundamental questions of U.S. history.
Speakers: Jay Cook, Michael Witgen, Jonathan Quint, Gabrielle Ione Hickmon
--
Day 2 Session 2
11:15am – 12:30pm
Universities and Indigenous Dispossession
This panel will explore the deep links between colonization, Indigenous dispossession, and the growth of colleges and universities in the United States. While the 1862 Morrill Land Grant College Act is often cited as a pivotal moment in the history of American higher education, centering the narrative on the mid-nineteenth century risks obscuring the broader role that Indigenous land played in underwriting American colleges and universities. Long before the Morrill Act, institutions such as the University of Michigan relied on land appropriated through treaties to finance operations, expand campuses, and diversify educational opportunities for students. At the same time, public domain land was being used for internal improvements, with universities serving as part of this larger project of development. The Morrill Act extended and formalized these practices, redistributing millions of acres of Indigenous land to fund the expansion of higher education across the United States. By bringing the pre- and post-Morrill Act eras into conversation, this panel will show how Indigenous land has remained a foundational resource for American higher education from its beginnings through the present.
Speakers: Mary Shi, Jon Parmenter, Alyssa Mt. Pleasant
Chair: Ned Blackhawk
--
Day 2 Session 3
1:30pm – 2:45pm
How to Read A Treaty: Legal Battles and the Continuing Impact of U.S.-Anishinaabeg Treaties
This panel will demonstrate how important Michigan-area treaties such as the 1836 Washington Treaty and 1855 Treaty of Detroit continue to shape the lives of the Anishinaabe people of the state, and how their meaning and enforcement remain subjects of legal challenges and political activism. To show the continuing impact of treaties, and the ways in which they serve as foundational documents of Anishinaabeg-U.S. political and legal relations, our speakers will draw from their experience as legal scholars, jurists, litigators, and expert witnesses. Collectively, they will discuss cases such as Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa v. Whitmer, which considered whether the 1855 Treaty of Detroit created a reservation for the LTBB Odawa in northern Michigan, as well as current litigation on the Line 5 Pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac and the broader historical contexts of these cases.
Speakers: Matthew Fletcher, Riyaz Kanji, James McClurken
Chair: Maggie Blackhawk
--
Day 2 Session 4
3:00pm – 4:15pm
On the Hidden Histories of Public Domain Land
This panel will explore the creation of public lands in the Michigan Territory and state through the multiple treaties negotiated by the federal government with the Indigenous peoples of Michigan. Historically, federal officials pressured tribes in Michigan to agree to the extinction of Native title to their lands, even when there was no immediate demand for those lands. This meant not only that tribes were deprived of a valuable asset, but also that this asset was able to appreciate in value until such time as it was sold by the state. In order to convince Native peoples to sign these treaties, the 1836 Washington and 1855 Detroit treaties guaranteed Native peoples the right to hunt, fish, and harvest on ceded territory not yet converted into private property. Reinforcing the enduring relevance of treaties across time, this panel will focus on the protests, activism, and legal battles that have emerged over Indigenous resource rights in Michigan, all of which revolve around differing interpretations of land and treaties. The panel will center the experiences and insights of community members who participated in these events.
Speakers: Mae Wright, Emily Proctor
Chair: Eric Hemenway
--
Day 3
Saturday, April 11, 2026
Day 3 Session 5
9:15am – 10:30am
How to Think About the Origins of Indian Removal Politics From a Great Lakes Perspective
This panel will highlight how two Michigan Anishinaabe communities, the Pokagon Band of Boodewaadamii and the Burt Lake Band of Odawa and Ojibwe Indians, had different experiences with removal and federal recognition, shaping their distinct paths and histories. It will combine historical analysis of the development of various nineteenth-century land companies and land transfer schemes with presentations by community representatives who can discuss the resistance of their communities to Indian Removal, as well as how they have fought or are still fighting to have their sovereignty and territory recognized by the federal government. This panel will discuss the shifting understandings and contexts of Indian Removal, focusing on examples from Michigan and the broader Great Lakes Basin, such as encroachment from settler colonists, forced migration by military forces, and Indian Boarding schools, that illuminate nationally significant aspects of Indian Removal policy.
Speakers: Wenona T. Singel, Blaire Morseau-Topache
Chair: Michael Witgen
--
Day 3 Session 6
10:45am – 12:00pm
Teaching Native American and Treaty History in K-12 Classrooms
This panel brings together educators from public schools and library professionals to share their experiences and insights on teaching Native American history in a range of educational settings. Panelists will discuss best practices for engaging students, building inclusive curricula and lesson plans, and addressing the gaps and challenges that persist in public education. Drawing on their experience teaching Native American history, they will reflect on what has proven most effective, what barriers remain, and how educators can collaborate to move this work forward.
Speakers: Joe Erdmann, Kara Johnson, Annemarie Conway
Chair: Eric Hemenway
--
Day 3 Conference Wrap-up with Closing Remarks by Dr. Michael Witgen
12:00 – 12:15pm
--
Day 3 Living with Treaties Community Connections Forum
12:00pm – 3:00pm
Equal parts resource fair, poster session, and tabling event, the Community Connections Forum will serve as a platform for fostering connections among attendees, the 1817 Project, U-M campus partners, and student organizations connected to the themes of the conference.
--
Day 3 Concurrent Breakout Workshops for K-12 Educators*
1:15pm – 2:45pm
Teaching Native American and Treaty History in Public Classrooms
This session will consist of teaching workshops designed for K-12 educators, with two separate workshops targeted for elementary, junior, and high school level instructors. The workshops will include short preparatory presentations on subjects relevant to the conference, such as treaties or public domain land, with accompanying guidance on how to teach the subject matter. K-12 instructor participants will receive pre-prepared instructional materials at the start of the workshop, with additional materials provided at the conclusion.
Facilitators: Eric Hemenway, Jared Aumen, Madeline McShannock, Joy Kooyer, Jack Stearns
Join us April 9-11, 2026, for Living with Treaties: The 1817 Project, the University of Michigan, and the Western Expansion of the United States. This hybrid conference will explore the role of treaties in the development of both the University of Michigan and the state of Michigan, while considering how their effects continue to resonate locally, regionally, and nationally today for an Indigenous present and future.
The conference will bring together members of Anishinaabe Tribal communities; U-M faculty, staff, and students; K-12 educators; scholars; tribal historians; and community activists for roundtable discussions, panels, and workshops that aim to inform and connect with non-specialist audiences.
Conference sessions will focus on key themes that include the role of treaties in the founding and development of the University of Michigan, such as the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs; the ongoing impact of 19th-century treaty agreements on tribal communities in the region; and the ways in which these treaties continue to shape contemporary Native activism and legal efforts. Discussions will also explore the broader histories of colonization and Indigenous dispossession across what is now the state of Michigan and the Midwest region of the U.S, with an eye to how local and regional histories provide valuable insights into broader national patterns.
The conference is free and open to all, and will be livestreamed and recorded. Registration is encouraged but not required. We will send out reminder emails and event updates when you register.
The Living with Treaties: The 1817 Project, the University of Michigan, and the Western Expansion of the United States Conference is part of The 1817 Project: Land, Culture, Memory, and Repair, one of the major research initiatives of the University of Michigan’s Inclusive History Project. Led by Eric Hemenway, Bethany Hughes, and Michael Witgen, The 1817 Project is a multi-disciplinary examination of the foundational land transfer by the Ojibwe, Odawa, and Boodewaadamii nations in the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs (also known as the Treaty of the Maumee Rapids), which was part of the University of Michigan’s 1817 origins in Detroit and subsequent relocation to Ann Arbor, as well the university’s ongoing connections to Indigenous land and contemporary issues of Native American student experience. Learn more about The 1817 Project at https://inclusivehistory.umich.edu/project-site/the-1817-project/.
The Living with Treaties: The 1817 Project, the University of Michigan, and the Western Expansion of the United States Conference is presented by the Inclusive History Project in partnership with the Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies (EIHS) and with the support of the Bentley Historical Library, Clements Library, the Department of American Culture, the Department of History, the Marsal Family School of Education, the Native American Student Association, the Native American Studies Program, Rackham Graduate School, Penny W. Stamps School of Art & Design, and the University of Michigan Museum of Art (UMMA).
For questions or more information, contact inclusivehistory@umich.edu.
--
Schedule & Panel Descriptions
Day 1
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Welcome and Keynote Roundtable
5:30pm – 8:30pm
What Does it Mean to Live with Treaties? A Roundtable on Indigenous History
This keynote roundtable will bring together several renowned Indigenous scholars with expertise in Indigenous and U.S. history, as well as in tribal, federal, and constitutional law. Together, they will reflect on the past, present, and future of Indigenous History, including the fundamental issue of treaties and their downstream effects into the present. A central theme of this session is: where did Indigenous history start from, where is it going, and what challenges and obstacles remain within the field? The panel will also consider the more specific question of treaties, land, and dispossession within a broader, comparative framework that builds upon recent studies of “land grab” politics across U.S. history as a whole. Additionally, the speakers will reflect on a second theme central to their scholarship: that U.S. history cannot be understood without recognizing the central role of Indigenous histories and experiences.
5:30 – 6:30pm: Reception with light fare with the panelists.
6:30 – 8:30pm: Conference welcome, opening remarks, keynote roundtable, and public Q&A.
All events are open to the public. This roundtable is made possible through the partnership of the IHP-1817 Project and the Eisenberg Institute for Historical Studies, who are co-sponsoring this event as part of their annual lecture series.
Speakers: Maggie Blackhawk, Ned Blackhawk, Matthew Fletcher, Michael Witgen
Moderator: Greg Dowd
--
Day 2
Friday, April 10, 2026
Day 2 Welcome & Session 1
9:15am – 11:00am
Why Study Michigan Now? Situating the University of Michigan and the Great Lakes Region in the Broader Histories of Native American Dispossession, Removal, “Land Grab” Politics, and U.S. Higher Education
This panel takes as a starting point the founding moment represented by the land transfer to U-M in Article 16 of the 1817 Treaty of Fort Meigs, but widens the scope of inquiry to include subsequent treaties and land transfer schemes that facilitated the development of the University and the state of Michigan. This panel will present the “receipts,” to visually represent the transfer of wealth from Native people to the citizens of the state of Michigan.
This panel will demonstrate that the histories of U-M, the state of Michigan, and the broader Great Lakes region are crucial contexts for understanding the broader histories of dispossession, removal, land grab politics, and the development of American higher education. Discussion of the 1817 Project, including an explanation of its origins and a showcase of its ongoing work, will illustrate how the project is addressing fundamental questions of U.S. history.
Speakers: Jay Cook, Michael Witgen, Jonathan Quint, Gabrielle Ione Hickmon
--
Day 2 Session 2
11:15am – 12:30pm
Universities and Indigenous Dispossession
This panel will explore the deep links between colonization, Indigenous dispossession, and the growth of colleges and universities in the United States. While the 1862 Morrill Land Grant College Act is often cited as a pivotal moment in the history of American higher education, centering the narrative on the mid-nineteenth century risks obscuring the broader role that Indigenous land played in underwriting American colleges and universities. Long before the Morrill Act, institutions such as the University of Michigan relied on land appropriated through treaties to finance operations, expand campuses, and diversify educational opportunities for students. At the same time, public domain land was being used for internal improvements, with universities serving as part of this larger project of development. The Morrill Act extended and formalized these practices, redistributing millions of acres of Indigenous land to fund the expansion of higher education across the United States. By bringing the pre- and post-Morrill Act eras into conversation, this panel will show how Indigenous land has remained a foundational resource for American higher education from its beginnings through the present.
Speakers: Mary Shi, Jon Parmenter, Alyssa Mt. Pleasant
Chair: Ned Blackhawk
--
Day 2 Session 3
1:30pm – 2:45pm
How to Read A Treaty: Legal Battles and the Continuing Impact of U.S.-Anishinaabeg Treaties
This panel will demonstrate how important Michigan-area treaties such as the 1836 Washington Treaty and 1855 Treaty of Detroit continue to shape the lives of the Anishinaabe people of the state, and how their meaning and enforcement remain subjects of legal challenges and political activism. To show the continuing impact of treaties, and the ways in which they serve as foundational documents of Anishinaabeg-U.S. political and legal relations, our speakers will draw from their experience as legal scholars, jurists, litigators, and expert witnesses. Collectively, they will discuss cases such as Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa v. Whitmer, which considered whether the 1855 Treaty of Detroit created a reservation for the LTBB Odawa in northern Michigan, as well as current litigation on the Line 5 Pipeline in the Straits of Mackinac and the broader historical contexts of these cases.
Speakers: Matthew Fletcher, Riyaz Kanji, James McClurken
Chair: Maggie Blackhawk
--
Day 2 Session 4
3:00pm – 4:15pm
On the Hidden Histories of Public Domain Land
This panel will explore the creation of public lands in the Michigan Territory and state through the multiple treaties negotiated by the federal government with the Indigenous peoples of Michigan. Historically, federal officials pressured tribes in Michigan to agree to the extinction of Native title to their lands, even when there was no immediate demand for those lands. This meant not only that tribes were deprived of a valuable asset, but also that this asset was able to appreciate in value until such time as it was sold by the state. In order to convince Native peoples to sign these treaties, the 1836 Washington and 1855 Detroit treaties guaranteed Native peoples the right to hunt, fish, and harvest on ceded territory not yet converted into private property. Reinforcing the enduring relevance of treaties across time, this panel will focus on the protests, activism, and legal battles that have emerged over Indigenous resource rights in Michigan, all of which revolve around differing interpretations of land and treaties. The panel will center the experiences and insights of community members who participated in these events.
Speakers: Mae Wright, Emily Proctor
Chair: Eric Hemenway
--
Day 3
Saturday, April 11, 2026
Day 3 Session 5
9:15am – 10:30am
How to Think About the Origins of Indian Removal Politics From a Great Lakes Perspective
This panel will highlight how two Michigan Anishinaabe communities, the Pokagon Band of Boodewaadamii and the Burt Lake Band of Odawa and Ojibwe Indians, had different experiences with removal and federal recognition, shaping their distinct paths and histories. It will combine historical analysis of the development of various nineteenth-century land companies and land transfer schemes with presentations by community representatives who can discuss the resistance of their communities to Indian Removal, as well as how they have fought or are still fighting to have their sovereignty and territory recognized by the federal government. This panel will discuss the shifting understandings and contexts of Indian Removal, focusing on examples from Michigan and the broader Great Lakes Basin, such as encroachment from settler colonists, forced migration by military forces, and Indian Boarding schools, that illuminate nationally significant aspects of Indian Removal policy.
Speakers: Wenona T. Singel, Blaire Morseau-Topache
Chair: Michael Witgen
--
Day 3 Session 6
10:45am – 12:00pm
Teaching Native American and Treaty History in K-12 Classrooms
This panel brings together educators from public schools and library professionals to share their experiences and insights on teaching Native American history in a range of educational settings. Panelists will discuss best practices for engaging students, building inclusive curricula and lesson plans, and addressing the gaps and challenges that persist in public education. Drawing on their experience teaching Native American history, they will reflect on what has proven most effective, what barriers remain, and how educators can collaborate to move this work forward.
Speakers: Joe Erdmann, Kara Johnson, Annemarie Conway
Chair: Eric Hemenway
--
Day 3 Conference Wrap-up with Closing Remarks by Dr. Michael Witgen
12:00 – 12:15pm
--
Day 3 Living with Treaties Community Connections Forum
12:00pm – 3:00pm
Equal parts resource fair, poster session, and tabling event, the Community Connections Forum will serve as a platform for fostering connections among attendees, the 1817 Project, U-M campus partners, and student organizations connected to the themes of the conference.
--
Day 3 Concurrent Breakout Workshops for K-12 Educators*
1:15pm – 2:45pm
Teaching Native American and Treaty History in Public Classrooms
This session will consist of teaching workshops designed for K-12 educators, with two separate workshops targeted for elementary, junior, and high school level instructors. The workshops will include short preparatory presentations on subjects relevant to the conference, such as treaties or public domain land, with accompanying guidance on how to teach the subject matter. K-12 instructor participants will receive pre-prepared instructional materials at the start of the workshop, with additional materials provided at the conclusion.
Facilitators: Eric Hemenway, Jared Aumen, Madeline McShannock, Joy Kooyer, Jack Stearns
Related Links
Co-Sponsored By
Livestream Information
LivestreamApril 11, 2026 (Saturday) 9:15am
Joining Information Not Yet Available
Explore Similar Events
-
Loading Similar Events...
