Death and the Settling and Unsettling of Oregon

A symposium sponsored by the Oregon Historical Quarterly

Mythology has painted Oregon as an Edenic wilderness that was peopled through the migration of Oregon Trail pioneers, but the American settlement of Oregon was profoundly unsettling for the region’s Native peoples who had lived rich lives here for millennia and continue to do so today. This symposium assesses the role of death in both the settling and unsettling of Oregon as well as in the history and public memory of that era. Organized by Oregon Historical Quarterly Editor Eliza Canty-Jones and University of Oregon Professor of History and Environmental Studies Dr. Matthew Dennis.

Opening Presentation | 9 AM, OHS Pavilion, free and open to the public
Rex Buck, Wanapum Washat Leader, Priest Rapids, Washington
Wilson Wewa, Warm Springs Washat Leader, Warm Springs, Oregon

Symposium | 10 AM–4 PM, OHS Madison Room
Featuring Dr. Mark Tveskov, Southern Oregon University, Dr. David Lewis,
Grand Ronde Tribal Museum, Dr. Peter Boag, Washington State University, and more.

Keynote Presentation | 7 PM, OHS Pavilion
Lauren Kessler: “Death with—and without—Dignity: Oregon’s Progressive—and Regressive—Attitudes Toward Ending Life”