Whither the Native Historian

In November 2013, Robert Warrior published an article about the place of Native American scholars within the Modern Language Association (MLA), highlighting the dearth of such scholars. His discussion in the publication “Profession” responded to an analysis of doctoral recipients and faculty members published by the MLA. In this article Warrior spoke to patterns illustrated data collected by the association, as well as personal observations made during attendance at annual meetings and through participation in the Native literature stream within the MLA. Warrior argued that the MLA and the literature profession was not doing well by Native scholars. While the AHA has not, to my knowledge, undertaken a similar demographic study, anecdotal evidence suggests that similar patterns prevail among historians. Is there something about the historical profession that deters Native people from pursuing PhDs in the discipline? What does this mean for the study of Native American history? What does it mean for the place of history within the interdiscipline of Native American and Indigenous Studies? Drawing from my work as a scholar of early American history and Native American history, with interdisciplinary training in history and American Indian Studies, and as someone who has been involved with the Native American and Indigenous Studies Association since its inception, I will provide some reflections on the points of intersection, opportunities for improvement, and informal initiatives currently underway.