Dear Friends,
Yesterday, President Biden signed a proclamation to establish the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Mississippi and Illinois. Till’s brutal 1955 murder helped galvanize the Civil Rights Movement of the 1950s and 1960s. This marks the fourth time President Biden has used the Antiquities Act to establish a national monument.
Managed by the National Park Service, the new national monument adds much-needed diversity to the several hundred locations that have been honored as places of national significance using the Antiquities Act. I trust you join me in thanking the president for his action.
Briefly, but relatedly—in terms of the power of the Antiquities Act—I want to acknowledge an error that was embedded in the article about Interior Secretary Deb Haaland that we linked to in this newsletter last week.
The Washington Post article, in its final paragraphs, has Secretary Haaland discussing the complicated history of the nation’s national parks. It quotes her: “I want people to think about the fact that, yes, Teddy Roosevelt is this amazing figure. He started the national park system,” Haaland said, but “a lot of national parks kicked Native Americans off the land.”
Teddy Roosevelt did not start the national park system, but the confusion or conflation is understandable. It was formally established by an act of Congress in 1916. He signed the Antiquities Act into law on June 8, 1906. The act contains these 50 powerful words: “The President of the United States is authorized, in his discretion, to declare by public proclamation historic landmarks, historic and prehistoric structures, and other objects of historic or scientific interest that are situated upon the lands owned or controlled by the Government of the United States to be national monuments…”
Roosevelt quickly put that authority to work. Between September 1908 and the end of his term in early 1909, he established 18 national monuments. Of Roosevelt’s 18 national monuments, all but two are today managed by the National Park Service. In addition, many national monuments have subsequently been elevated to National Park status by acts of Congress.
(On balance, Secretary Haaland’s comment could have truthfully added that “a lot of national parks and national monuments kicked Native Americans off the land.”)
President Biden’s use of the Antiquities Act to honor Emmett Till and his mother calls us, as all such designations do, to recognize, respect, and reflect on this country’s history, its people, and the places that hold these stories.
Until next week,
President & CEO, Archaeology Southwest
Banner image: Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ, 4021 S. State Street, now part of America’s newest national monument. Emmett Till’s body was on display at Roberts Temple for four days leading up to his funeral in 1955. Over 50,000 people attended. Photo Credit: Chicago Sun-Times / Chicago Daily News collection / Chicago History Museum. Accessed at Preservation Chicago.
New National Monument Honors Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley
On Tuesday, the 82nd anniversary of Emmett Till’s birth, President Joe Biden [signed] a proclamation establishing the Emmett Till and Mamie Till-Mobley National Monument in Illinois and Mississippi. The new monument will protect and uplift the spaces that tell the story of Till’s abbreviated life and racially-motivated murder, the unjust acquittal of his murderers and the activism of his mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, who courageously brought the world’s attention to the brutal injustices and racism of the time. This monument will be located at three separate, existing sites in Illinois and Mississippi, including Roberts Temple Church of God in Christ in Bronzeville, the historically Black neighborhood on Chicago’s South Side, where thousands gathered to mourn and bear witness to Till’s death in September 1955. The monument in Mississippi will include Graball Landing, believed to be where Till’s mutilated body was pulled from the Tallahatchie River. The third is the Tallahatchie County Second District Courthouse in Sumner, Mississippi, where Till’s murderers were tried by an all-white jury and acquitted. Tacuma Roeback in the Chicago Defender | Read more »
Read the White House’s Fact Sheet on the designation »
Learn more about the Tell the Whole Story movement from the National Trust »
Continuing Coverage: Public Meeting Held for Proposed Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument
About 200 people gathered at a public meeting on Tuesday [July 18] in Flagstaff to talk about the proposed designation of a national monument near the Arizona-Utah border. Supporters say the monument would protect tribal communities, heritage sites, wildlife and the watershed from the effects of uranium mining and human development. Opponents call the move an overreach by the federal government and a land grab that encroaches on private ownership in the area and could harm industries like cattle ranching. … The meeting, hosted by the U.S. Department of the Interior, was held after tribal leaders urged President Joe Biden to use the Antiquities Act to create the Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument. Jake Frederico in the Arizona Republic (via azcentral) | Read more »
The proposed Baaj Nwaavjo I’tah Kukveni Grand Canyon National Monument would include three areas of federal public land adjacent to Grand Canyon National Park and would prevent any further uranium mining in the protected area. Several tribes in the Grand Canyon Tribal Coalition have ancestral ties to the canyon and honor it as a sacred place with natural landmarks and cultural ties. The coalition consists of 12 tribes and is leading the proposal for a new monument. Tribal members expressed concern for plants, wildlife and water impacted by uranium mining. Ashley Lay for Cronkite News (via Tucson Sentinel) | Read more »
Podcast: Damming a Sacred Space
“A big dam like that is holding back all the rain from coming in, because all that was supposed to go down to the ocean where our ancestors come back as moisture, as rain, any kind of precipitation. That’s our ancestors feeding us with the gift of life, which is water.” — Ronnie Cachini, Head Rain Priest, A:Shiwi (Pueblo of Zuni). In the latest episode, we explore the legacy of the Glen Canyon Dam and how tribal leaders worked to get a seat at the table of the Glen Canyon Adaptive Management Program. This episode is dedicated to the memory of Ronnie Cachini. We are deeply grateful for all he taught us during his many years of close partnership with Grand Canyon National Park. Behind the Scenery (National Park Service) | Listen now (transcript available) »
Interior Proposes Overhaul of Drilling Rules for Public Lands
The last time the federal government raised the amount that oil and gas companies have to pay to drill on public land was in 1960—the same year that four unknown floppy-haired Brits formed a band called The Beatles. Other aspects of the Department of the Interior’s oil and gas leasing regime are more than a century old. Yesterday, the Biden administration proposed what would be a substantial overhaul of this system, a broad new set of rules that would dramatically increase the operators’ financial obligations, boost the royalties that companies pay and tighten permissive leasing regulations. … The proposal kicks off several months of public comment, during which advocates on all sides will weigh in and changes to the rules can be made. Here’s what you need to know as this process gets underway. Nick Bowlin for High Country News | Read more »
ProPublica’s Repatriation Project Releases Latest Report in Ongoing Series
Involving Indigenous groups in research can add to researchers’ understanding of ancestors’ lives and belongings, said [Theresa] Pasqual, of Acoma Pueblo. Without this context, scientific studies are incomplete, she said. Pasqual’s background in archeology helps her understand how science’s view of her ancestors differs from that of her tribe’s culture. Scientists and museums, she believes, have long viewed ancestors’ remains as objects, specimens or property. Pueblo people have a continuing relationship with their ancestors and an obligation to steward them. “There are a lot of folks who may see ancestors as being an open resource to do different types of DNA testing,” she said. “We recognize that there is an ethical obligation.” Mary Hudetz for ProPublica | Read more »
Deer Valley Petroglyph Preserve Welcomes New Assistant Director
John Bello oversees operations, budget administration, and policy development. His visionary leadership was evident as the Director of Education and Interpretation at Boyce Thompson Arboretum. With extensive experience in educational programming and volunteer management at the Desert Botanical Garden and the City of Phoenix, he excels in engaging diverse audiences. John holds a Doctor of Education in Leadership and Innovation, focusing on nature play and risk management in the Sonoran Desert. His Master of Arts in Museum Studies enhances his expertise. He forges strong community relationships, delivering exceptional learning experiences. DVPP Facebook announcement | Learn more about DVPP »
Grant Funds Available for Projects in the Northern Rio Grande Heritage Area
In 2006, Congress established the NRGNHA in Río Arriba, Santa Fe, and Taos counties to help tribal and local governments and other public and private entities conserve and sustain cultural, historical, archaeological, and natural resources. To meet the Congressional mandate, NRGNHA, Inc. developed a grant program to make federal funds available to support a variety of projects in the Heritage Area. Communities, tribal and local governments, land grant associations, non-profit organizations, youth programs, historical and archaeological societies, and preservation groups are encouraged to apply for grant funding of up to $10,000 that supports the NRGNHA’s vision and goals. Northern Rio Grande Heritage Area | Learn more »
Grant Funds Available for Nondestructive Archaeology on Private Land in Utah
The Utah Legislature has set aside $500K in grant funds for private landowners, organizations, and municipalities to use to record, interpret, and preserve archaeological sites, and applications are open now! The Utah SHPO is administering the grant and would love to help you discover if this grant is right for you. Utah SHPO’s Utah Landowner Archaeology Program | Learn more »
Position Announcement: Communications Manager (UT and remote)
Grand Staircase Escalante Partners (GSEP) is seeking a creative and innovative Communications Manager to develop and implement our communications strategy, including preparing and disseminating e-blasts, newsletters, donor communications, marketing materials, and reports. The CM will also manage the organization’s communications channels and digital platforms, including email, website, and social media accounts. We are seeking a candidate who has demonstrated success in developing impactful and engaging communications and is passionate about the protection of public lands. Grand Staircase Escalante Partners | Learn more »
Position Announcement: Executive Director, OAS (Santa Fe NM)
The New Mexico Department of Cultural Affairs (DCA) seeks an exceptional individual to fill the position of Executive Director of the Office of Archaeological Studies (OAS). The office conducts archaeological research throughout New Mexico with a mission to identify, interpret, and educate about, archaeological and historic sites across the state. A division of DCA, OAS provides public and private clients with archaeological, ethnographic, and historical research services. The office conducts research projects funded by grants and private donations. Finally, OAS presents educational outreach programs for the public on archaeology, history, and the culture of New Mexico. The Executive Director is an appointee of the Governor of New Mexico, upon the recommendation of the DCA Cabinet Secretary. New Mexico DCA | Learn more »
Job Openings: Archaeologists and Biologists, USDA Forest Service (Mountain West)
As part of the Wildfire Crisis Strategy, we are hiring archeologists and biological science technicians to reduce wildfire risk to people, communities, and infrastructure. Ninety positions open tomorrow, Wednesday, July 19, 2023, on USAJOBS.gov. Positions are available in AZ, CA, CO, ID, MT, NM, NV, UT, and WY. Applications will be accepted from any U.S. citizen. Direct Hire Authority will be used to fill these positions, meaning Veterans Preference and traditional rating and ranking of applicants do not apply. Relocation and recruitment incentives are available for eligible applicants. USDA Forest Service, Rocky Mountain Region | Learn more »
July Subscription Lecture (Santa Fe NM)
7/31, John Haworth (Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma), Reflections on Native Cultures and the Art. $20 at the door. Southwest Seminars | Learn more »
REMINDER: July 27 Online Event: Pueblo on the Plains
With Myles Miller and John D. Speth. Two seasons of archaeological investigations at the Merchant site and its surroundings documented one of the most unusual and significant pre-Hispanic settlements on the southern Great Plains of southeastern New Mexico. It was first excavated over 60 years ago by Robert Leslie and the Lea County Archaeological Society to rescue the site from looters. Through the following decades, it remained a somewhat legendary yet mostly unpublished mystery of southern New Mexico archaeology due to a few incomplete and confusing accounts of contiguous rooms, middens, deep pithouse structures, a distinctive corrugated ceramic ware, and thousands of projectile points. In 2014, the Carlsbad Field Office of the Bureau of Land Management, with funding provided by the Permian Basin Programmatic Agreement, issued a contract to conduct remedial excavations to recover information from looted and exposed features and to stabilize the site. A second season of fieldwork was completed in 2019 to further explore and confirm the intriguing results of the investigations completed in 2016. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | Learn more and register (free) »
Aug. 3 Online Event: What All of Us Can Learn from the Old Ones
With Scott Ortman. In this presentation, Dr. Ortman discusses two important movements in archaeology today. The first is the recognition that archaeologists study the cultural heritage of Indigenous peoples, and the second is the urge to make the results of archaeology helpful for the present and future. The presenter suggests that a productive way to integrate these two concerns is to treat the archaeological record as contemporary Indigenous people always have—as a source of knowledge for how to live now. Dr. Ortman provides a few examples from his experience to illustrate this point and suggest a few ways that Mesa Verde region archaeology could take advantage of this approach. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | Learn more and register (free) »
Aug. 10 Online Event: Bedrock Ground Stone Features
With Elizabeth Lynch. This webinar addresses the materiality and social aspects of a specific type of ground stone tool known as bedrock ground stone (BGS) features that are found in the canyons of southeastern Colorado. The region is a dynamic cultural landscape that witnessed interaction between Southwest, Plains and Eastern precontact societies. Due to their inaccessibility, physically and methodologically, BGS features have remained hidden from the archaeological gaze, at the corner of the kitchen hearth, awaiting notice and inclusion in the way we construct our knowledge of the past. Crow Canyon Archaeological Center | Learn more and register (free) »
Aug. 17 Online Event: The 1541 O’odham Annihilation of Vázquez de Coronado’s Southern Arizona Townsite
With Deni Seymour. She will discuss southern Arizona Coronado expedition sites she has identified recently and excavations at the first permanent European settlement in the Southwest that was eliminated by O’odham. Third Thursday Food for Thought series (Old Pueblo Archaeology Center) | Learn more and register (free) »
Aug. 20 Tour (Tucson AZ): Popol Vuh and the Hero Twins in Mesoamerica and the US Southwest
Tucson Museum of Art (140 N. Main Ave.), 1:00–2:30 p.m. TMA’s “Popol Vuh and the Maya Art of Storytelling” exhibit brings in archaeological imagery suggesting ancient US Southwest cultures shared the Mayan Popol Vuh’s “Hero Twins” culture-heroes narrative. The tour includes visits to TMA’s “Art of the Ancient Americas” and “Enduring Legacies” Indigenous American art exhibits. Reservations and $20 donation prepayment due by 5:00 p.m. August 17. Old Pueblo Archaeology Center | Learn more »
Video Channel Roundup
Find out which webinars and videos you missed and get caught up at the YouTube channels of our Partners and Friends. (And please do let us know if your channel isn’t in this list but should be!)
Amerind Foundation
Archaeology Southwest
Arizona Archaeological and Historical Society
Arizona State Museum
Aztlander
Bears Ears Partnership
Cotsen Institute of Archaeology at UCLA
Crow Canyon Archaeological Center
Grand Canyon Trust
Grand Staircase Escalante Partners
Mesa Prieta Petroglyphs Project
Mission Garden (Friends of Tucson’s Birthplace)
Museum of Indian Arts and Cultures
Museum of Northern Arizona
Old Pueblo Archaeology Center
San Diego Archaeological Center
School for Advanced Research
Southwest Seminars
The Archaeological Conservancy
Verde Valley Archaeology Center
Remember to send us notice of upcoming webinars and Zoom lectures, tours and workshops, and anything else you’d like to share with the Friends. Thanks!