Gabrielle Tellez
Managing Editor
History professors Dr. Amy M. Porter and Dr. Francis X. Galán will be live-streaming a lecture about Native American tribes that once resided on land that is now Texas A&M University-San Antonio, at 11 a.m on Nov. 10 on Zoom.
The event, “History of Native Americans in the San Antonio Area” is a part of the university’s annual American Indian Heritage Month, celebrating the long history and ongoing legacy of Native American culture throughout the month of November.
The one-hour event will cover the thousands of years of history of local indigenous tribes, Spanish settlement, as well as current-day cultural practices.
“We’re going to be talking about different aspects of the history of Native Americans in the San Antonio area, and we are going to try to focus on the areas around the campus’s land,” Porter said in an interview Oct. 30 over Zoom.
Both Porter and Galán have published books on the history of the Spanish borderlands and have conducted extensive research into the land in and around A&M-San Antonio.
The event is inspired by the work of Porter, Galán and other history faculty into uncovering records documenting the history of the native people that once inhabited this land.
Despite historical records dating native occupation back 10,000 years, the indigenous people of central Texas are some of the most poorly known of all the native groups in North America, according to a study by the San Antonio Office of Historic Preservation.
“As a historian of early America, I think the indigenous people have, probably, the most important stories to tell,” stated Porter, emphasizing the importance of continuing to teach Native American history.
Porter states Native Americans persevered in challenging environments, and their stories continue to offer important lessons for students today.
Other Indian American Heritage Month events include:
- Traditional Dance Exhibition at 11 a.m, Nov. 12 in front of the Madla building.
- Native American Children’s Literature Event at 12 p.m, Nov. 18 over Zoom.
- Karankawa presentation at 12 p.m, Nov. 20 over Zoom.
For more information, email Amy.Porter@tamusa.edu or visit jagsync.tamusa.edu/event/6594345.
