历史

With a generous gift by the Poarch Band of 克里克印第安人, the Native American Studies 该项目始于2014年3月. Chairman Buford Rolin (third from the left) and Mr. 罗伯特。 McGhee (far right) were strong advocates along with Board Chair Pro Tempore, Dr. 史蒂夫 Furr (first on the left) and Interim 总统 Dr. John Smith (second from the left) 建立合伙关系.

The gift allowed bestowing the Chief Calvin McGhee Endowed Professor of Native American 博士研究. 菲利普J. Carr (Professor of Anthropology), as well as supporting a range of teaching, discovery, and outreach activities. 例如，博士. Deidra方式 博士和. 菲尔的车r co-taught AN 190/HY 190: Native Americans in Alabama: 历史 and Culture during 2014年秋季学期. Pat Cesarini is currently teaching EH 482: Studies in American Literature: Native American Fiction.

Professor Carr is working with the Poarch Band of 克里克印第安人 Tribal Council and Tribal Historic Preservation Officer on several research projects ranging from federal recognition to archaeological investigations 在部落土地上.

Finally, outreach includes work with students to re-establish the Native American Student Association, support for the "Old Mobile" Graphic Novel that depicts colonial and native interactions at this nationally significant site, and co-sponsoring Leaves, Roots, Bark, and Fruit: Ethnobotany and the Poarch Band of 克里克印第安人 Exhibit 与奥. 罗伯特。 Thrower at the Marx Library (10月11日. 至12月11日. 2014).

PBCI Cultural Authority Director, Ms. Karla Martin was instrumental in bringing Mr. Marcus Briggs-Cloud to USA campus to present and lead a discussion on the topic of Native Americans as team mascots. Ms. Martin brought a large number of PBCI youth to campus for this presentation. The re-recognition of the Native American Student Association in the Fall 2014 semester provides an important means of involving USA students and efforts are on-going to recruit Native American students to the USA campus.