Lecture: The Myth of Thanksgiving
SPEAKER: Brenda Brainard
Lecture: The Myth of Thanksgiving
SPEAKER: Brenda Brainard
The Thanksgiving Myth and Indigenous Foods of the Americas
Brenda Brainard will give an overview of the history of the original Thanksgiving and how it transitioned into the modern Thanksgiving holiday that we know today. Her talk will adress the impact of the Thanksgiving myth on Native American people, like herself, today. She will also introduce the identification of Indigenous Foods.
This lecture happens at the Philomath Museum.
These lectures are free to the public, thanks to the support of our generous Historical Society donors and members like you! Please use the ticket link to reserve your seat, as space is limited. Suggested donation $5-$10.
For accommodation related to a disability, please contact Anya Ballinger at education@bentoncountymuseums.org
Photography Notice:
This lecture will be video recorded. By attending or participating in this event/service, you agree to be photographed, filmed, or otherwise recorded. You grant Benton County Historical Society the absolute and irrevocable right to use your likeness, voice, and image in any promotional, educational, or print materials without compensation. If you do not wish to be recorded, please notify the event organizers or staff on-site.
About the presenter
Brenda Brainard is a basket weaver, storyteller, dancer, and teacher, but above all else she is miluk Coos. She is a respected elder in the Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians and has worked with and for her Tribe for over 50 years.
Among her greatest contributions is her work Restoring the Tribe to Federal Status. Brenda lived her entire school years knowing she was miluk Coos, but due to the Termination of her Tribes, she was denied recognition. She often heard that her Tribe and people were “extinct”. She was deeply affected by this and became dedicated to correcting the legal injustice of Termination.
Brenda attended the University of Oregon, School of Law, receiving her JD in 1981. She is the first attorney in her Tribe and is one of only a handful of Tribal members with an advanced degree. She has written and co-written legislation and presented testimony before both Federal and State Legislatures on behalf of her Tribe. Today, she is the only living Tribal member who appeared before Congress during the Restoration effort. The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw were restored to Federal Status in 1984. Brenda is a basket weaver, a storyteller and a Traditional Dancer.
