The West Virginia Archives and History Library of the West Virginia Division of Culture and History will continue its genealogy and history related workshops on Thursday, April 26, from 6 - 7 p.m. Guest speaker Doug Wood will discuss “Researching 18th-Century American Indian History.” The workshop session is free and open to the public.
Wood is a living history presenter with the West Virginia Humanities Council’s History Alive! program and in independent activities. He portrays Ostenaco, a Cherokee leader who assisted Virginia military leaders against northern tribes allied to the French. Wood and his wife Dianne teach 18th-century American Indian lifeways and interpretation skills throughout the southern Appalachian region.
Wood has researched his topic extensively for more than 20 years, often using the resources of the Archives Library. “A wealth of information is available from the West Virginia Archives and History Library on 18th century American Indians,” he says. The library has transcribed compilations of primary source materials from the colonial period and early days of nationhood, which “are just one or two steps away from the original documents recorded in the 18th century.” These materials make the Archives Library a good alternative for research into early American Indian history. “Numerous journals and letters of correspondence of early European explorers give us windows on the daily lives of 18th century First Americans in our region,” he adds.
Wood’s research focuses on Eastern Woodland Indians of the 1700s. He will discuss American Indian reference materials available in the Archives Library, and properly substantiating information and recording references. In addition he will emphasize research of the historical and cultural contexts in which 18th-century authors worked, in order to be better equipped for judging the validity of statements made in their records. Genealogical research of individual families will not be discussed.
For more information about Wood, his research and his re-enactments, visit his website at http://mypeoplepc.com/members/chingwe/trailsinc18thcentury/index.html
Advance registration for the workshop is not required, but is encouraged to help plan seating arrangements and handouts for the session. Genealogical and historical societies are invited to hold their regular meeting or to plan a field trip in conjunction with the workshop.
For more information about a group visit or to register in advance, contact Robert Taylor, library manager, at (304) 558-0230, ext. 163, or by e-mail at bobby.taylor@wvculture.org. Participants interested in registering by e-mail should send their name, telephone number and the name and date of the session. For additional information about the workshops, contact the Archives and History Library at (304) 558-0230.
The West Virginia Division of Culture and History, an agency of the West Virginia Department of Education and the Arts, brings together the state’s past, present and future through programs and services in the areas of archives and history, the arts, historic preservation and museums. Its administrative offices are located at the Cultural Center in the State Capitol Complex in Charleston, which also houses the state archives and state museum. The Cultural Center is West Virginia’s official showcase for the arts. The agency also operates a network of museums and historic sites across the state. For more information about the Division’s programs, visit www.wvculture.org. The Division of Culture and History is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer.
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