Located in Exeter, Rhode Island, Tomaquag Museum is Rhode Island’s only Indigenous-led museum, dedicated to sharing the history, culture, and arts of Indigenous peoples. Through lectures, arts and educator workshops, ecological knowledge tours, and offsite programs focused on the Indigenous peoples of the Dawnland (focus Southern New England), we engage and foster dialogue that reconciles the past and empowers present and future generations. Tomaquag Museum is the only museum in Rhode Island to receive the National Medal for Museum and Library Service, the nation’s highest honor for community service.
Description
This talk examines how Indigenous religious leaders and tribal churches in southern New England actively championed Native organization and recognition efforts during the early twentieth century. It highlights their roles in fostering community resilience, preserving cultural identity, and aiding political revitalization across the region.
Kimonee M. Burke is the Charles Eastman Postdoctoral Fellow at Dartmouth College and a citizen of the Narragansett Indian Tribe. She received her A.B. in Native American Studies from Dartmouth College, her MSt in U.S. History from the University of Oxford, and her A.M. and PhD in History from Brown University. Burke is a scholar of Indigenous history in New England and studies the impact of federal policies on tribes in the region.
Date & Time
Mon, Sep 28, 2026 12:00 PM - 1:00 PM