Lawrentians Study Native American History & Culture

Students in Lawrenceville’s new Native Americans’ America class are taking a complex, nuanced look at the diverse native peoples who inhabited what is now called America. Led by history teacher Drew Inzer, Fifth Formers are learning that the story of America prior to European contact is the story of native peoples as well as European explorers.

Inzer became interested in the Native American perspective on American history as he researched his course on Lewis and Clark. “As I dug deeper, I kept asking more questions and was exposed to new scholarship. The more I learned, the more I wanted to know,” he said. “I'm trying to capture native Americans' history - Native Americans plural. There are distinctive histories and sovereignty issues unique to each tribe, but there are some common narratives that hold true.”

With support from a Lawrenceville grant, Inzer spent a very busy week in Montana last summer, studying the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation. He visited their ancestral homeland near the Bitterroot Mountains, as well as the Reservation (where they were forced to move by the U.S. government in 1891) in the Flathead Valley, and attended a tribal council meeting. “I really appreciated their hospitality,” Inzer said.

With a travel permit from the Tribes, he hiked in the first designated Tribal Wilderness in the Mission Mountains and visited bison range which was returned to the Salish in 2020.  He was also “literally on the spot” where Lewis and Clark met with members of the Salish tribe in Sula Montana, or in Salish, “K͏ʷtíɫ P̓upƛ̓m̓.” “It is pretty powerful,” he said.

Beyond history, Inzer learned about contemporary issues facing the tribes, including water rights, identity movements, and qualifications for becoming an enrolled member of the Salish Kootenai people. He attended a tribal council meeting, where he spoke with a direct descendant of Chief Charlo, head of the Bitterroot Salish from 1870-1910.

One of the first lessons Inzer shares with his student is dispelling what he called “the old narrative” that what is now America was simply fresh land teeming with wildlife. “That’s totally wrong. There were people here, nations of people, that were far more powerful than European countries,” he said.

Jack Betten ’25 said he is most excited to learn about the “rich history” of America that existed prior to European colonists’ arrival. He also appreciates Inzer’s extensive research, which allows students to “dig into and analyze primary sources from the [native peoples] that gives us a real glimpse into their lives and core values. . . . We’re able to see the world from their point of view [and] see the true purpose and personality of these people,” he said.

The class also examines current events through varied resources, including Salish newspapers and tribal council minutes. “Looking at tribal rights, treaties, and government policies is really rich, as well as problematic. It’s hard to distill in a way that doesn’t pigeonhole native people into one, monolithic notion. I’m working hard to give everyone a voice,” said Inzer. “This is not dead or terminated history – not all tribal nations were completely eliminated. This is very much a story of survival.”

Kaden Hamilton ’22 feels a personal connection to the Native Americans. “I’m really looking forward to learning about the Cherokee and their culture because I have a few relatives that are of that descent. I would love to learn more and maybe even talk to them after this course.”

When pandemic conditions allow, Inzer is planning a student trip to Montana, so Lawrentians can experience firsthand what they have been studying. “We need to go to these places and understand the role that place plays in people’s culture and history. Human connections are so much more powerful than just reading about history in a book,” he said.

While Lawrenceville has significantly expanded its teaching about the roles played by enslaved and marginalized people in U.S. history, the Native American story is one he wants to delve into more intensely. “I want the students to have an opportunity to learn more about this history and have a deeper understanding. We’re looking at America through a different lens so that we can look and see the world in a new way.”

Fifth Former Chris Loucks feels the course is an important addition to the School’s history curriculum. “I believe it is an important class for Lawrenceville to offer as educating students about historically oppressed peoples coincides with our mission statement of “‘inspiring the best in each to seek the best for all.’”

For additional information, please contact Lisa M. Gillard Hanson, director of Public Relations, at lgillard@lawrenceville.org.