Seth Eastman was an artist and Army General who’s left us a window to the past. His work offers a realistic and colorful view of the lives, landscape, and lifestyle of Native Americas during the mid-19th century.

When I first started reading, researching, and writing about the U.S. – Dakota War back in 2007, I did not understand the very complicated nature of that history and what it means for us today. I just wanted to know what happened and why. But since then, I’ve discovered that there is a lot more at stake than just the history itself.

During the U.S. – Dakota War of 1862, hundreds of white settler-colonialists were killed, many of them while defending their homes and communities. This post highlights three of those who fought and died to protect the people and town of New Ulm.

Hey Readers! I’ve finally decided to launch a monthly newsletter and I’d like you to join me. Sign up to get updates about my upcoming novel, Reclaiming Mni Sota.

On May 11, 2022, the U.S. Department of the Interior released an investigative report on the history of federally-funded Indian Boarding schools. In it, the Department calls for accountability for its policies that have been detrimental to Native populations, while calling for action to restore and revitalize Native communities.

I’ve been doing a lot since my last update in January! I’m revising my manuscript, doing in-person speaking engagements, growing my business, and much more! Read the entire blog to learn more about what it’s like to be a historian, author, publisher, and editor.

Today, the Root River Trail is a 42-mile paved path for bikers, hikers, joggers, in-line skaters, and cross-country skiers. But long before it was used for recreation, it was a well-established “super highway” leading Native travelers through the high bluffs and dense forest of the Upper Mississippi River Valley.

For more than a half-century, the Ho-Chunk endured the U.S. government’s policies of removal and ethnic cleansing. Since then many Ho-Chunk have returned to their ancestral homelands and today they are one of Wisconsin’s largest employers.