On Wednesday, January 28th, Mrs. Switzky’s Indigenous Literature & Film class, made up of 10 students, visited the Americans Exhibit at the Rock Building of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation.
Mrs. Switzky shared, “It was very neat and exciting to see this exhibit locally. My husband and I were able to see this same exhibit in Washington, D.C., two years ago at the Smithsonian. It took the class about 30 minutes to tour the exhibit. The Smithsonian display is featured in the center, surrounded by images, artwork, and the history of the Potawatomi Nation.”
The exhibit included a timeline and explanations of significant historical events such as Thanksgiving, the Battle of Little Bighorn, the Trail of Tears, and Pocahontas. Junior students were able to see meaningful connections between their English and History coursework, as they will soon be reading a letter by Chief John Ross in English class.
One student reflected on the importance of the exhibit being curated and presented by Indigenous voices. He said, “clearly it matters to them. It matters that history is told from both sides instead of a biased point of view only."
