The Lewis and Clark Story, the Captive Narrative, and the Pitfalls of Indian History

More Than a Single Best Narrative: Collective History and the Transformation of Historical Consciousness

“…Native historian Elizabeth Cook‐Lynn (2004) argues that “complex historical events [of] images and ideas [are reduced] to simple and manageable forms . .…”

“…The exhibition began with a premise that challenged the Lewis and Clark expedition as an initial westward expansion that civilized a savagewilderness. The exhibition told of Lewis and Clark venturing into land already occupied by Indigenous groups, and that the aftermath of the expedition impacted the legal, cultural, and physical well‐being of Indigenous peoples by establishing government policy specific to land ownership and Indigenous removal (Cook‐Lynn, 2004). The Newberry's exhibit sought to tell, as noted in press releases, the “other side of the story.” The exhibition featured various books, manuscripts, maps, artwork, and photography from the library's American Indian and American history collections.…”

Bringing memory forward: a method for engaging teachers in reflective practice on narrative and memory

“…Laura, who is grown up and married, stays home alone while her husband goes to town. What is described as a marauding band of painted savages comes to the barn, with the intention of stealing horses, but the subtext suggests a captivity narrative: the subjugation and humiliation of the white male (as in the 'running the gauntlet' scene that had struck Frances in Indian captive) and here, the threat of sexual violation of white females (see Cook-Lynn, 2004). Laura (unlike Mary Jemison) is a grown woman.…”