Native American Studies Center (USC Lancaster)

Winter Olympics bring new push to recognize hockey great Taffy Abel - ICT The former Olympian broke the color barrier in hockey nearly 100 years ago

“While Abel is believed to be the first Native American to participate in the Winter Olympics — and the only Indigenous American to carry the flag in Olympic history — he kept his Ojibwe heritage secret at the time."
ictnews.org/sports/winte...

How Snoop Dogg got Indigenous beadwork at the Winter Olympics - ICT A Mohawk man from Akwesasne is working as an Olympics volunteer in Italy

“Before he left home for Italy, George worked on beadwork projects so he could take his own offerings to the Winter Olympics.”

ictnews.org/news/how-sno...

‘Dream Big Things’: An Indigenous view of the Olympics - ICT Naomi Lang was the first Native American woman to represent the US in the Winter Olympics

“She also became the first Native American woman to represent the United States in the Winter Olympics as a member of the U.S. team in 2002 in Salt Lake City, Utah.”
ictnews.org/news/dream-b...

US Presidents in Their Own Words Concerning American Indians Editor's Note: This article was previously published in Native News Online on prior Presidents' Days. It was updated to include works concerning American Indians made by the current president of the U...

“The following quotes about American Indians are from various presidents since President George Washington and up to President Joe Biden. The quotes here do not include all presidents.”

nativenewsonline.net/currents/us-...

You won’t want to miss this fascinating lecture! Join us in person, or virtually (register via this link: bit.ly/3XYCWF9)

🎥Documenting real conversations and real experiences is part of our mission!

What a pleasure to have Robbins Family Pottery stop by yesterday for an interview with Native American Studies Director Dr. Stephen Criswell and Director of Campus Collections and Galleries Brittany Taylor-Driggers.

Shop for incredible pieces of jewelry by Amanda Wilson (Catawba Nation) and Catawba pottery from Blue Heron Clay and at our February mini market!

We’re pleased to welcome back Catawba artist DeLesslin George-Warren to the Center this month for a special canoe-making demonstration!

See DeLesslin at work from 10am-4pm on Saturday, Feb. 21!

Florida Man Sentenced for Falsely Selling Imported Jewelry as Pueblo Indian–Made Chadwick M. Elgersma, United States Attorney for the Western District of Wisconsin, announced that Jose Farinango Muenala, 47, of Casselberry, Florida, pleaded guilty on January 28, 2026, to misrepres...

“During these events, he falsely claimed to be a Pueblo Indian or a Native American from New Mexico and represented that the jewelry he sold was handmade by himself or other Pueblo Indians.”

nativenewsonline.net/sovereignty/...

We’re pleased to welcome back USC Lancaster Instructor of Criminal Justice Deborah Rowell to this month's W. Brent Burgin Lecture Series!

Presented in person and virtually. To attend via Zoom, register via this link: bit.ly/3XYCWF9

📅 Saturday, Feb. 21 | 10am-4pm
🎨 Artwork by Blue Heron Clay and Amanda Wilson
📍 Native American Studies Center | 119 S. Main Street, Lancaster, SC
🎟️ Free and open to the public!

The latest episode of the Florida Historical Society’s Florida Frontiers podcast features USCL Asst. Professor of History & Center Historian Dr. Evan Nooe.

Click the link below to listen (Nooe’s interview begins around the 14:30 mark):

myfloridahistory.org/frontiers/ra...

Erasure of History and Science Spreads At National Parks Across the Country The administration is forcing National Park Service staff to censor science and history at parks. This is a violation of the core tenets of the National Park Service’s mission.

“The administration is forcing National Park Service staff to censor everything from climate science at Glacier to the mistreatment of Native Americans at the Grand Canyon, a place of worship and origin for many Tribes.”
www.npca.org/articles/112...

The whistleblower, the Forest Service, and an endless battle in North Carolina’s mountains • Asheville Watchdog On April 22, 2021, 19 acres burned on a sloping face south of Double Knob, a modest peak nestled just south of the Buncombe-Henderson County line. A day later, mountainside still aflame, Scott Ashcraf...

“He hopes its release will halt what he alleges are violations of laws including the National Historic Preservation Act, the National Environmental Protection Act and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act.”

avlwatchdog.org/forest-servi...

Wassamasaw Tribe Brings Indigenous Culture to Goose Creek in 2026 | The Berkeley Observer The Wassamasaw Tribe of Varnertown Indians is proud to announce its 2026 Culture Classes and Community Programming calendar, a yearlong series of free, public offerings centered in Goose Creek.

“The yearlong program will offer monthly, hands-on culture classes open to residents and visitors alike, focusing on Indigenous arts, foodways, music, dance, and environmental knowledge rooted in the Lowcountry.”

www.berkeleyobserver.com/2026/01/28/w...

U.S. Mint releases coin commemorating famous Oneida heroine The coin honors an Oneida woman who helped George Washington during the Revolutionary War.

“The coin represents the Oneida people’s critical role in the founding of the U.S., the Nation said in a news release.”
www.syracuse.com/news/2026/01...

North Carolina Buc-ee’s draws more ire, this time from Indigenous group Construction is already underway, however.

“Indigenous communities, including the Occaneechi, Sissipahaw and Shakori tribes, used the path for trade and travel in the 17th and 18th centuries.”
www.chron.com/culture/arti...

YouTube video by Native American Studies Center Jan. Lunch and Learn: “Indigenous Carolinians"

Now on YouTube! Watch our January Lunch and Learn presented by David Rahahę·tih Webb (Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories):
www.youtube.com/watch?v=fjEs...

Mary Peltola seeks to be first Alaska Native woman in Senate - ICT Former U.S. representative, Yup’ik, will challenge sitting Republican Dan Sullivan for the hotly contested seat that Democrats are hoping could help them retake control of the Senate

“Along with Peltola, if Minnesota Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan wins her U.S. Senate race in Minnesota, both would make history as the first Native women in the U.S. Senate.”

ictnews.org/politics/mar...

“After accomplishing that longstanding goal, the Tribe will now enter a period of transition over the next months of years — a period which has already begun.”
www.robesonian.com/news/336896/...

Join us tomorrow as David Rahahę·tih Webb (Tuscarora Indians of Kahtenuaka Territories) presents a talk about his new book, “Indigenous Carolinians: A History from Original Peoples to Present-Day Tribes.”

Attend in person or join via Zoom (register at bit.ly/4rG2BAg).

Sign up for our February session today!

“Seminole State College has received a $17 million unrestricted gift from philanthropist MacKenzie Scott through her foundation, Yield Giving, the largest single donation in the college’s 94-year history.”

www.sscok.edu/media/ssc-re...

'Most exciting field trip': 4th graders visit SC Statehouse to learn about American Revolution • SC Daily Gazette Surrounded by reenactors and demonstrations, students got a hands-on experience on what Colonial times were like.

“A representative of the Catawba Nation, the state’s only federally recognized Native American tribe, showed children feathers, rattles and drums tribal members would have used during the Colonial era.”
scdailygazette.com/2026/01/16/m...

How a Pennsylvania rock shelter upended archaeology and changed our understanding of the first Americans South Africans live down the road from some of the oldest human ancestors. Mrs Ples strode around the Gauteng hills almost three million years ago. A few hundred years before that, Lucy sharpened rock

“This new narrative happens to also cleave closer to many indigenous Americans’ oral histories.”

www.dailymaverick.co.za/article/2025...

Next Friday!

Presented in person and virtually; register at bit.ly/4rG2BAg

Indigenous films to screen at 2026 Sundance Film Festival - ICT Repatriation theme permeates new Indigenous stories at festival, which bids farewell to ‘Sundance Kid’

“Repatriation theme permeates new Indigenous stories at festival, which bids farewell to ‘Sundance Kid’”

ictnews.org/arts-enterta...

Winter stories: ‘Bring the tobacco, turn off the recorder’ - ICT The cold weather offers a time for stories, ceremony, and games

“Winter is a special season for Indigenous peoples across the country and world.”
ictnews.org/news/winter-...

A town in North Carolina is returning land to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians The Noquisiyi Mound in Franklin, North Carolina, is close to being returned to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.

“An important cultural site is close to being returned to the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians after a city council in North Carolina voted unanimously Monday to return the land.”

apnews.com/article/noqu...

Planning to begin in Denver for American Indian Cultural Embassy Denver will be the site of the United States' first-ever American Indian Cultural Embassy. Funding for the project was approved by Denver voters in November. The vision is for the embassy to welcome N...

“Denver will be the site of the United States' first-ever American Indian Cultural Embassy.”

www.cbsnews.com/colorado/new...