Why an Indigenous Right to the Land Remains in Western New York

In 1779, the United States launched the Sullivan–Clinton Campaign to break the power of the Haudenosaunee. This explicitly genocidal campaign brought dispossession and displacement to the center of the Haudenosaunee experience of the American Revolution. The invasion did great damage, but Haudenosaunee people soon returned to their burned-out homes. Their rights to the land remain.
Join us as Dr. Michael Oberg explores the profound impact of actions taken during the American Revolution on the Haudenosaunee people. Discover how these events shaped Haudenosaunee communities and continue to influence their lives, sovereignty, and experiences today.
Michael Leroy Oberg, author of Native America, is Distinguished Professor of History at SUNY Geneseo and founder of the Geneseo Center for Local and Municipal History, which he directed from 2019 to 2022. In addition to publishing numerous books, articles, and reviews, he has worked as a historical consultant for Native communities in New York and North Carolina, as well as for the Indian Resources Section of the United States Department of Justice.
This program is sponsored by Erie County 250 and the Erie County Historical Commission.