The American Revolution Through Haudenosaunee Eyes

JEFFERSON - The Jefferson Historical Society will welcome Mike Tarbell, cultural interpreter and storyteller at the Iroquois Museum in Schoharie County, for a presentation exploring the American Revolutionary War from the perspective of the Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) people.

Tarbell, a member of the Mohawk Nation, brings a personal connection to Revolutionary War history. His seventh great-grandfather, Joseph Louis Cook, served as a lieutenant colonel in the Continental Army under George Washington. Cook was the highest-ranking Native American officer in the Continental Army during the American Revolution.

Because of its political influence, military strength, and strategic location, the Haudenosaunee Confederacy played a significant role in the American Revolution. The Confederacy was founded under the symbol of the Great Tree of Peace, representing a commitment to reason, justice, and peaceful relations among its member nations. However, the Revolutionary War placed enormous strains on this alliance, as its member nations faced difficult decisions, conflicting loyalties, and shifting alliances.

Tarbell will offer insights into the war's profound impact on the Haudenosaunee people, including the conflicts, challenges, disappointments, and losses they experienced. His presentation will provide an opportunity to better understand this turbulent period through the eyes of the Indigenous people whose homelands became battlegrounds during the Revolution.

The program will take place on Sunday, November 8, at 2:00 p.m. at Judd Hall, 163 Main Street, Jefferson, NY. The event is free and open to the public.

The Jefferson Historical Society gratefully acknowledges Dick Herodes for his generous sponsorship of this program.