Richmond, Indiana was founded in 1818, but the history of people in this area goes back thousands of years before that. Native American tribes, including the Miami, Potawatomi, Delaware, and Shawnee, thrived in Indiana. November is Native American Heritage Month, and you can learn more about the diverse and complex history of Native Americans at the IU East Campus Library.

One excellent database that features resources about the Native American Experience is American Indian History Online.

http://www.fofweb.com/NuHistory/default.asp?ItemID=WE43&NewItemID=True

This database allows you to choose search terms based on what you wish to study. You can search by region, tribe, person, event, or topic. There are extensive timelines, going as far back as the first humans on the North American continent, as well as maps that illustrate the movement of groups, where people were living, or where battles were fought. It is an easy database to browse or use for specific research purposes. There are also pictures and documentary videos exploring important events. These videos can serve as an introduction and include interviews with descendents and re-enactors.

Another excellent quality of American Indian History Online is the availability of primary sources, such as treaties, letters, or other documents.  The land that now makes up Wayne County, Indiana, was involved in two important treaties: The Treaty of Greenville in 1795 and the Treaty of St. Mary’s in 1818. These treaties affected the ownership of large amounts of land and this database includes full pages on both. You’ll find the original text of the treaties, a summary of events leading up to the signing, and information about the tribes affected. There are also biographies of a few of the important players and links to similar events taking place elsewhere.

IU East Campus Library also owns numerous books about local Native American experience, including Frontier Indiana by Andrew R. L. Cayton and Indiana to 1816: The Colonial Period by Barnhart and Riker. There are also journal articles and audio/visual materials, including We Shall Remain, a PBS documentary released in 2009.

To learn more about Native American Heritage Month you can check out the official website:

http://nativeamericanheritagemonth.gov

 To learn more about Native Americans in Indiana today:

http://www.in.gov/dnr/historic/3796.htm

 This is a picture of moccasins made by a member of the Delaware tribe during the 1860s. This image is taken from a book called Native American Clothing: An Illustrated History by Theodore Brasser . You can check this book out, and many others, here at the library!