Indigenizing History and Education with Chris Newell

Indigenizing History and Education with Chris Newell

What is the impact of history and education when more inclusive of Native peoples of this land? How do you bring it into your learning space and understanding of history?

Join Chris and the Freeport Historical Society as we examine these questions and more as part of out ongoing series .

Chris Newell is founding director of the Native American Cultural Program for the University of Connecticut and co-founder/director of education for Akomawt Educational Initiative; a majority Native-owned educational consultancy based in Connecticut. He is a multi-award-winning museum professional born and raised in Motahkmikuhk (Indian Township, ME) and a proud citizen of the Passamaquoddy Tribe at Indian Township. He also serves on the Board of Trustees for the New England Museum Association, Tides Institute, Maine Public, Indigo Arts Alliance, and the New England Foundation for the Arts.

Chris is a long-time singer with the acclaimed Mystic River singers based out of Connecticut and has travelled the US and Canada singing and participating in cultural celebrations, pow wows, and live stage performance. Chris was the Senior Advisor for the Emmy-award winning documentary Dawnland and participant and co-director of the short documentary Weckuwapok: The Approaching Dawn (2022) chronicling a historic sunrise concert collaboration in 2021 with Wabanaki musicians/storytellers and 19-time Grammy-winning cellist Yo-Yo Ma. In addition, Chris is a published author of the Scholastic book If You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving, a non-fiction historical children’s picture book focusing on the history of encounters with Wampanoag peoples and early English colonists which earned starred reviews from the School Library Journal and Kirkus Reviews.

This event will feature a screening of Weckuwapok: The Approaching Dawn and copies of the book You Lived During the Plimoth Thanksgiving will be available for purchase.

Event Venue & Nearby Stays

Meetinghouse Arts, 40 Main Street, Freeport, United States