Colonialist Biases in Historical Markers in Detroit

Summary

This is an abstract from the "Recent Colonial Archaeological Research in the American Midcontinent" session, at the 89th annual meeting of the Society for American Archaeology.

Applying a feminist intersectionality theoretical perspective in close readings of historical markers in Detroit reveals their intersecting colonialist racist and sexist biases. Of Detroit’s 265 historical markers, 89% include men, 63% include white men, but only 26% include women, of which 71% are white. Native American men are included on 6% of Detroit’s historical markers, none of which mention Native American women. The biases show that these historical markers were very predominantly erected by Euro-American men from the viewpoint of European male colonists. The historical markers at colonial sites are very predominantly about white European men at military sites, religious sites and home sites of enslavers. The few historical markers that include Native Americans mostly commemorate battles they lost, or mention land Native Americans "sold" to white men. These historical markers justify the conquest and settlement of the land by Europeans and the forced removal of most of the Native Americans to reservations further west. Very few white women are mentioned on historical markers for colonial sites, including Cadillac's wife and the wife of a slave owner. Suggestions are made for the inclusion of more information about minorities and women, especially Native Americans, on existing or new historical markers.

This Resource is Part of the Following Collections

• Recent Colonial Archaeological Research in the American Midcontinent   •
• Society for American Archaeology 89th Annual Meeting, New Orleans, LA (2024)

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Record Identifiers

Abstract Id(s): 38849.0