Tuesday Talks

Learn more this Native American Heritage month! Join ASU Law Professor Robert Miller (Eastern Shawnee Tribe) and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer, Brandon Reynon (Puyallup Tribe) as they discuss the history and continued impacts of the Doctrine of Discovery. The Doctrine deprived indigenous peoples of their land claiming that, because it was not under the flag of a sovereign Christian nation, it could be taken by whoever “discovered” it.

Perhaps you learned of the Doctrine of Discovery in VHM’s permanent exhibit or maybe you’ve had questions for some time. In this hour and 15 min long talk, Professor Miller will discuss the history of the Doctrine generally, while Brandon Reynon looks at its effects on indigenous people locally. We hope you’ll join us for this illuminating deep dive into a topic addressed in our galleries.