Dr. Kelli Mosteller, Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s Cultural Heritage Center director, oversees the Nation’s efforts to uphold NAGPRA by working with Native communities across the United States to ensure the accountability of museums and other institutions.
The Citizen Potawatomi Nation Cultural Heritage Center regularly honors and recognizes Tribal servicemen and women. The Veterans Spotlight case currently highlights Darling family descendant Denny Hopkins who served the United States as a U.S. Navy quartermaster.
The first Oklahoma land run took place on April 22, 1889, and established present-day Oklahoma City and Guthrie in one day. The Citizen Potawatomi Nation’s historical ties are with the Land Runs of 1891, which took place on Sept. 22, 23 and 28.
Many Citizen Potawatomi Nation tribal members seek to learn more about their Native American heritage and family trees, and numerous on and offline resources exist to aid in the process.
After founding and ministering at several churches in Oklahoma and Kansas, Charles LeClair felt called back to the military. He became the first Native American Southern Baptist chaplain in the Army and attended Fort Hamilton chaplain school in New York.
More than 850 Potawatomi made the journey, and 42 perished, mostly children and elderly. Written and visual records help chronicle this trying time in the Tribe’s history, and utilizing these resources help Tribal members and others acknowledge the tenacity and resilient spirit of the Potawatomi people.
Exhausted by white encroachment, Native leaders like Chief Pontiac gained recognition for their efforts to return Turtle Island — North America — to its Indigenous roots. He led a resistance known today as Pontiac’s War or Pontiac’s Rebellion against the British in the 1760s.
This episode features Citizen Potawatomi Nation Health Services’ Chief Medical Officer regarding COVID, a CPN veteran included on the Cultural Heritage Center’s Wall of Honor and producer of the Grand Casino Hotel & Resort’s Emmy-winning music program.
The Hownikan is featuring photographs and family histories of every founding Citizen Potawatomi family – this one includes information about the Beaubiens.
The CPN Cultural Heritage Center recently received an Institute of Museum and Library Services grant to update the CHC’s final two galleries and educate visitors on the Nation’s history since arriving in present-day Oklahoma.