'Fort Niagara through Native Eyes,' a Native American history symposium, slated for March 30

The Old Fort Niagara Association will host a Native American history symposium on Saturday, March 30, titled “Fort Niagara through Native Eyes” at the Tuscarora Nation House in Lewiston. Three Native American history and culture experts will present Native American history from specific time periods at Fort Niagara. The symposium will run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Registration is now open to the public.

Michael Galban, of the Mono Lake Paiute/Washoe people, who works at the Seneca Art and Culture Center in Victor, will present on Native American and French relations at Fort Niagara. Jamie Jacobs, a Tonawanda Seneca who works at the Rochester Museum and Science Center, will discuss the Native American experience at Fort Niagara during the American Revolution. Dr. Richard Hill, of the Tuscarora Beaver Clan and former professor of American studies at SUNY Buffalo, will talk about the Native American experience in the War of 1812. After the three speakers present, the symposium will conclude with a panel discussion.

“We are privileged to welcome these speakers and learn, first-hand, about Native American history and culture at Fort Niagara,” said Robert L. Emerson, executive director of the Old Fort Niagara Association. “It is a great opportunity for historians and local residents alike to better understand our neighboring Native communities and our collective pasts. For those of us who teach or interpret history, this symposium will help to shape our work and influence how we share information about the history of our region.”

Old Fort Niagara’s educational and special event programming includes sharing history about Native Americans at the fort and their relationships with the French, British and Americans in the 18th and 19th centuries. The fort employs a full-time Native American interpreter (Jordan Smith), part-time summer interpreters, active board members (including Neil Patterson Sr.), and volunteers from the local Tuscarora nation.

Registration for the symposium is $25. Reservations can be made by calling Old Fort Niagara at 716-745-7611 by March 27. Lunch can be added for $12 more.

Tuscarora Nation House is located at 5226 Walmore Road, Lewiston. Doors will open at 9 a.m., while and the speakers will begin at 10 a.m.

Old Fort Niagara (www.oldfortniagara.org) is a Registered National Historic Landmark and New York State Historic Site operated by the Old Fort Niagara Association, a not-for-profit organization, in cooperation with the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. The site is open daily from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and ticket sales end at 4:30 p.m.