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Ned Blackhawk Opens Hopkins Speaker Series with Perspective on American History
On Friday, September 18, Yale University Professor of History Ned Blackhawk visited Hopkins to kick off the School’s 2026–2027 Speaker Series, inviting students to reconsider the American story through the experiences and perspectives of Native peoples.
Blackhawk, an enrolled member of the Western Shoshone and the father of Hopkins alumna Eva ’20, is the author of The Rediscovery of America: Native Peoples and the Unmaking of U.S. History, which won the 2023 National Book Award for Nonfiction.
During an all-school assembly, Blackhawk shared insights from his research, encouraging students to broaden their understanding of American history and consider the stories and contributions of Native Americans that have often been overlooked.
His visit marked the beginning of this year’s Speaker Series, which centers on the theme "America at 250" and invites the Hopkins community to reflect on the nation's history, its evolution, and the many perspectives that have shaped it.
Blackhawk began by sharing his own experiences growing up as a Native American and how his encounters with stereotypes and misconceptions about Indigenous peoples eventually inspired his academic career.
He explained that his work seeks to challenge simplified representations of Native Americans and bring greater recognition to their experiences, contributions, and continuing presence in American society.
Through maps developed with his students at Yale, Blackhawk illustrated the many Native nations that exist across the United States today, including Connecticut’s Mashantucket Pequot and Mohegan nations.
"Making visible these communities is, in fact, a form of broadening us at 250," he explained.
Blackhawk also introduced students to Henry Roe Cloud, a Native American educator and activist who graduated from Yale in 1910 and dedicated much of his life to expanding educational opportunities for Native Americans.
After experiencing the federal government's boarding school system as a young person, Roe Cloud and his wife, Elizabeth Bender Cloud, established the American Indian Institute in Wichita, Kansas, offering Native American students an alternative educational experience that encouraged them to embrace their cultural heritage.
Blackhawk explained how Roe Cloud and other Native American leaders challenged prevailing stereotypes and worked to change policies that had sought to separate Native children from their families and communities.
He also discussed efforts at Yale to recognize earlier generations of Native American leaders, including Roe Cloud, and create a community where Native American students are encouraged to embrace their cultural heritage.
Throughout his presentation, Blackhawk encouraged students to recognize the importance of understanding their own histories and the experiences that shape their identities.
Reflecting on his journey from high school to his academic career, he reminded students that their interests and experiences can lead them in unexpected directions.
"Your futures will be determined by your own choices and the experiences that you've had," he said.
Following his presentation, Blackhawk answered questions from students about Native American history, education, tribal sovereignty, and his own cultural heritage.
In response to a student's question about his favorite Native American story, Blackhawk reflected on the importance of learning about his ancestors, where they lived, and what their lives were like.
He encouraged students to consider the longer history of North America and recognize that the founding of the United States represents just one chapter in a much larger story.
To learn more about this year’s speaker series, click here.
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