The Indian Removal Act of 1830 allowed the U.S. government to negotiate treaties with Native American tribes located east of the Mississippi River. While some tribes voluntarily exchanged their lands for territory in the west, others were forcibly removed. This brutal relocation disrupted the cultures of tribes such as the Cherokee, Creek, and Seminole nations, and resulted in a significant loss of life.  

Stephen Aron, director, president, and CEO of the Autry Museum of the American West in Los Angeles, discusses how to talk about this deportation and efforts to redress the losses suffered by Indigenous peoples. Aron also explores the role of arts and cultural institutions in repatriation and how returning items from collections to Native communities can start the healing process.  

Professor Emeritus of History at UCLA, Aron earned his Ph.D. from the University of California, Berkley. He’s the author and coauthor of numerous books, including Peace and Friendship: An Alternative History of the American West, American Confluence: The Missouri Frontier from Borderland to Border State, and The American West: A Very Short Introduction. 

This co-sponsored event is part of the Kansas City Monuments Coalition Signature Lecture Series. KCMC, a partnership of preservation and commemorative organizations across Kansas City, is supported by the Center for Digital and Public Humanities at the University of Missouri-Kansas City and funded by the Mellon Foundation.