AIS Celebrates 50 Years at the University of Washington
The development of an American Indian Studies Center at the University of Washington began in the spring of 1970 following student protests calling for more diversity of UW’s curriculum, faculty, staff and students. A group of Native American students came together in a class to discuss the aims of such a program and the educational processes required to establish it. The American Indian Studies Center began in Autumn Quarter, 1970, with both Indian and non-Indian faculty involvement from departments that included Anthropology, Art, English, History, Sociology, and Political Science, as well as the Burke Museum.
That small center has now grown to an established Department, one of only a handful in the entire United States, with a major, two minors, a Graduate Certificate, and an affiliated research center. The Department of American Indian Studies has become the home for indigenous knowledge at the University of Washington and we work to contribute to the growing field of Indigenous Studies with our world-class faculty, students, and staff. Read the full story of our history and growth.
Celebrate With Us
Make sure to check our Events Calendar, Instagram page, and Facebook page often to stay up to date.
Sacred Breath: Indigenous Writing and Storytelling
You can still view a recording of our previous three events with our latest installment of Sacred Breath: Indigenous Writing and Storytelling. Enjoy the full recording here from 2021. We look forward to seeing you at our next event November 2023.
Mark your calendar for our next event in November 2023.
In honor of our 50 year anniversary, we are planning events highlighting our graduates, founding faculty, and exciting current student and faculty work. Make sure to check our Events Calendar or Facebook page often to stay up to date on the celebrations.
January 28th, 2021 at 6:30pm - Short Talks: Home.
Finding place in your ancestral lands, your family, wherever you are. In celebration of the five-year anniversary of wǝɫǝbʔaltxʷ – Intellectual House, four Native American Huskies share their personal stories of what “home” means to them. Originally scheduled to take place in 2020, Short Talks welcomes our speakers to the digital stage this winter. Come hear our own Professor Dian Million, AIS Department Chair. A live Q&A will take place after the presentations.