Last August, I began working at Fort Dobbs State Historic Site in Statesville, NC. We have an incredible reconstruction of the fort, which was built in 1756 to protect the western settlements of North Carolina. It is a monstrous building painstakingly dressed so that visitors can feel like they are stepping into 1756. While the fort and facilities are closed due to the pandemic, the grounds are open. We have uploaded a number of videos on YouTube so you can take a virtual tour of the fort and grounds!
Fast forward to 2020. One of my responsibilities of my new job is to help build a Native American interpretive program which involves enrolled tribal members so they can tell their stories. Our first event with this new program, The Defense of Fort Dobbs, was a resounding success. We were able to host four tribally enrolled people from the Cherokee and Shawnee Nations. These men provided incredible historical interpretation for fort visitors.
It is so incredibly important to involve tribally enrolled people in the telling of our colonial history. This fills a massive gap, but more importantly lets them control how their story is told.
I hope you all stay safe and healthy.