Native Bound Unbound

This article from August 13, 1766 in the Edinburgh Evening Courant is now available on the website and details how a 14 year old boy ran away from his “master's” house in Glasgow.

Read more at nativeboundunbound.org/archives/22b...

Were you aware that Indigenous peoples from the Americas were enslaved and shipped across the Atlantic to places like Scotland and England?

Treuer examines how Native identity in the United States has been shaped by law, policy, and the legacy of settler colonialism, producing the terms through which being and belonging have been recognized, denied, or challenged.

This project exists because of the support of institutions and individuals, a constellation of team members across disciplines and geographies, and the community members and descendants who have entrusted us with stories, documents, and memories. This work is, above all, relational.

Just days after the winter solstice, we stand at the threshold of a new year. As the light slowly returns, this season has long been a time for storytelling.

As we reflect on the recent premiere of Native Bound Unbound and the work ahead, gratitude is at the center of our thoughts.

There is still time to help us reach our year end goal for fundraising! Please help us recover the names and histories of those Indigenous enslaved individuals still waiting in the pages of the archives and the whispers of their stories.
givebutter.com/jaV6NO

This correction demonstrates the importance of examining historical records in their full context rather than in isolation—a critical practice in genealogical research and one that Native Bound Unbound is committed to as we honor the stories of Indigenous ancestors with accuracy and care.

While the parish register shows "a.D. 1927" at the top of the page, when viewing the entire book, the year was actually 1926. The entry itself is #11, dated December 21, 1927, with a correction made by the priest to the right, a number six over the number 7.

Please follow the story of Francisco Valdez, as we trace the imprints from the past into the present, honoring his resilience and the legacy of family, identity, and survival that continues through generations.

Native Bound Unbound is committed to honoring Francisco Valdez in 2026 by uploading documents, images, oral history and memory, as well as transcribed and translated interviews given by his descendants over the years, to his personal profile on the Native Bound Unbound website.

We recognize that the stories of Indigenous people captured and bound in servitude are especially critical for descendants. For these individuals and communities, uncovering and honoring these histories offers the potential for transcendence and healing.

Though Francisco could never remember his language, his homeland, or even which tribe he came from, he maintained his Indigenous identity throughout his life and passed this knowledge to his descendants.

His story, recorded across three census enumerations, shows his transfer between households and his continued servitude into adulthood, a pattern that represents the experience of countless Indigenous children forcibly removed from their people.

Francisco was an Indigenous child documented as enslaved at age three in the 1860 census of New Mexico Territory.

Francisco was an Indigenous child documented as enslaved at age three in the 1860 census of New Mexico Territory.

In this post, we trace the ancestry of Kelly Casias, a great-grandson of Francisco Valdez.

In 2026, his family will gather for the 100th Anniversary to honor his life, family, and Navajo (Diné) heritage. This reunion to "Bring Grandpa Home" embodies a beautiful, full-circle moment that celebrates both family and resilience.

December 21, 2025, marked the ninety-nine-year anniversary of the day that Francisco Valdez crossed over and became an Ancestor. His burial followed on December 23.

Year-End Support for Native Bound Unbound Celebrating our premiere and supporting long-term sustainability as a 501(c)(3)

Please help us reach our year end fundraising goal by visiting givebutter.com/jaV6NO

The Native Bound Unbound site has launched.

Your support helps us recover the histories of Indigenous slavery and strengthens the teams and partnerships behind this effort.

As a new 501(c)(3), we invite you to visit www.nativeboundunbound.org/donations and consider supporting this work.

Thousands of documents are moving through our workflow: locating, digitizing, transcribing, translating, & encoding before they appear on the site.

If you’re searching for something specific, more is on the way.

Come back and join us in this ongoing work of recovery.

www.nativeboundunbound.org

This morning our executive director Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez, along with Dr. Philip J. Deloria and Theresa Pasqual of Acoma Pueblo, will join Native America Calling to talk more about the launch of our project and future initiatives.

Please listen at www.nativeamericacalling.com/wednesday-no...

Honoring our collaborators @performant.bsky.social, whose rigor and skill helped make Native Bound Unbound possible.

They built a platform that connects people, stories, and places across time—a living archive built with care, precision, and imagination.

#NativeBoundUnbound #DigitalHumanities

We invite you to explore Native Bound Unbound: Archive of Indigenous Slavery, a living digital platform connecting people, places, events, and stories across the Americas.

Take a moment to explore, learn, and return often as the archive continues to grow.

👉 www.nativeboundunbound.org

The world premiere of Native Bound Unbound: Archive of Indigenous Slavery will be streamed live on YouTube this weekend.

Watch live:
Day 1 (NHCC - Albuquerque) www.youtube.com/live/xiA5Mp_...
Day 2 (MIAC - Santa Fe)
www.youtube.com/live/5r-vWjG...

Follow @natboundunbound for updates and links.

Our Santa Fe Launch on November 2, at the MIAC, is now sold out. Tickets are still available for our Albuquerque premiere event at the National Hispanic Cultural Center on November 1.

Register now to attend Native Bound Unbound's premiere event at the National Hispanic Cultural Center in Albuquerque with the link below:
my.nmculture.org/50247/50248

We are thrilled to invite you to the premiere of the project that we have been building—a collective effort that reflects the dedication, care, and collaboration of so many.

Please visit linktr.ee/natboundunbo... for more information and RSVP

YouTube video by 505OMATIC What's Up with the Obelisk? Part III/VII #santafe #obelisk #history #indigenoushistory

Thankful to @505omatic.bsky.social for the interview with executive director Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez!

youtube.com/shorts/VEfFQ...

We are excited to announce that we are exactly 100 days out from our official launch! Visit us at nativeboundunbound.org

YouTube video by Televisión Pública Noticias Masacre de Napalpí: el testimonio de Rosa Grillo, sobreviviente de 114 años

Native Bound Unbound is committed to telling these stories and remembering all those whose memories were forcibly suppressed or forgotten. Today we remember those at Napalpí who gave their lives.

Watch an interview from a survivor at youtu.be/Y52aRvyCmbo