The Cultural Pluralism of Indigenous and African American Households in Colonial New England

Summary

During the 18th and early 19th centuries many Native American women formed households with freed African Americans. Political forces surrounding issues of identity and federal recognition in the case of indigenous communities have complicated the historical narratives of these households. This paper outlines what the archaeology of such households can tell us about lives of those who faced and continue to face the vagaries of racism and the complicated nature of their responses to those forces. Focusing on the intersection of identity and indigeneity this paper explores the way contemporary political realities challenge our ability to construct alternative historical narratives to commonly part of popular culture. 

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Society for Historical Archaeology 2018   •
• Refuge and support: Historical Archaeologies of Multiracial Native American and African American Sites and Communities

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Contact(s): Society for Historical Archaeology

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PaperId(s): 396