Gage to Speak About Early Native American Literacy as Strength in Culture

University Relations

Justin Gage

BENTONVILLE, Ark. – In partnership with the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute, University of Arkansas instructor Justin Gage will speak about his new book, We Consider Ourselves As One: Creating a Native American Community and the Spread of the Ghost Dance from the University of Oklahoma Press.

Gage, an instructor in the Department of History in the J. William Fulbright College of Arts and Sciences, will give his lecture at 5:30 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 7, at the Museum of Native American History, 202 Southwest O St. in Bentonville. The lecture is part of the Native Conversations fall lecture series.

In this work, Gage observes that although most historians assume that western Indians were still pre-literate during the early reservation years, thousands of Native Americans used literacy — meant as a tool of assimilation — to strengthen their own cultures, preserve a measure of sovereignty, and express their thoughts outside of white control.

The lecture is free and open to the public.