Things That Matter: Greg Olson, The Amazing Life of Jeffrey Deroine

Name: Things That Matter: Greg Olson, The Amazing Life of Jeffrey Deroine
Start: 2026-04-15T17:30:00-05:00
End: 2026-04-15T18:30:00-05:00
Location: 3801 Ponderosa St, Columbia, MO, United States, Missouri 65201

Schedule

Wed Apr 15 2026 at 05:30 pm to 06:30 pm

UTC-05:00

Location

3801 Ponderosa St, Columbia, MO, United States, Missouri 65201 | Columbia, MO

The Amazing Life of Jeffrey Deroine: Enslaved Trader, Prairie Diplomat, and Missouri Settler
Join us for the Things That Matter speaker series as Greg Olson explores the remarkable life of Jeffrey Deroine, a man who navigated the worlds of enslavement, diplomacy, and settlement in 19th-century Missouri. Born into slavery in St. Louis, Deroine worked as a fur trader for his owner, Joseph Robidoux, before the Ioway Indians purchased his freedom so he could serve as their interpreter. He traveled to Europe with 14 Ioway delegates for an exhibit tour, later worked with the Otoe-Missouria people, and eventually settled in St. Joseph, where he became a prominent property owner.
Greg Olson, an independent researcher and author based in Columbia, Missouri, brings Deroine’s story to life. Olson is recognized for his scholarship on Native American history in Missouri and the Midwest, with multiple award-winning publications including The Ioway in Missouri and Indigenous Missourians: Ancient Societies to the Present. The Amazing Life of Jeffrey Deroine is his eighth book, continuing his dedication to uncovering the rich histories of Missouri’s Indigenous and early settler communities.
Things That Matter is a free, conversational-style speaker series hosted monthly at the Montminy Gallery inside the Boone County History & Culture Center in Columbia, Missouri. Designed to spark meaningful conversations, the series features real people sharing stories that connect us to our community’s past and present.
Free admission and open to the public.
The Things That Matter series is presented by LaBrunerie Financial. Financial assistance for this program has been provided by the City of Columbia, Office of Cultural Affairs.