Samson Occom: Indigenous Sovereignty in Revolutionary Connecticut

In an age of political upheaval, Samson Occom (1723-1792) helped chart a new course for the Native communities of the Northeast. Occom grew up a Mohegan immersed in his people’s traditional lifeways, and worked to reinvent those lifeways in a world transformed by colonialism. Occom rose to international fame advocating for Mohegan interests, and eventually helped found a new Indigenous nation called Brothertown, which (like Mohegan) continues to thrive today. Occom was inspired by the American religion but believed Native peoples had to forge their own paths toward freedom: “Indians,” he said, “are neither Whigs nor Tories.” Discover his compelling story and social impact with author Ryan Carr.

About Our Speaker: Ryan Carr is a lecturer in English, American Studies, and the Core Curriculum at Columbia University. He has published widely in the fields of American literature and religious studies. His first book, Samson Occom: Radical Hospitality in the Native Northeast, was published in 2023 by Columbia University Press.

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