This fall the Library will be co-hosting two special adult events centered around Native and Indigenous representation with the Lake Bluff History Museum. This is the first time the Library has had the opportunity to partner with the Museum and we couldn't be more thrilled. 

Recognizing local Indigenous history is crucial for honoring the rich cultures, traditions, and contributions of Indigenous peoples that have shaped the land long before the arrival of settlers. It fosters a deeper understanding of the historical and ongoing impacts of colonization, helping communities to acknowledge past injustices and work toward reconciliation. By learning about and respecting Indigenous histories, we can build more inclusive and equitable societies that value the diversity and wisdom of Indigenous knowledge systems.

Below, you will find registration links for each of the programs, reading lists for adults and children, and a series of other resources on the topic of local and indigenous history. 

Upcoming Events

No One Ever Sees Indians: Native Americans in Media | 10/5 @ 2pm | Register Here
Learn from Northern Arapaho filmmaker, artist, writer, and media educator Ernest M. Whiteman III about current and historical depictions of Native peoples. Discuss issues in the media, and analyze how these representations inform audiences' perceptions. Reflect on the ideology of lived experience, ownership of culture, and authorship of expertise of Native American representations in media. Funded by Illinois Humanities' Road Scholars Speakers Bureau Grant.

Singing Bird and the Importance of Native American Women in Illinois History | 11/16 @ 2pm | Register Here
Award-winning Ojibwa author and speaker Kim Sigafus McIver presents an interactive hands-on history of Natives in Illinois with a focus on Native women, or what was considered "The Hidden Half." Dressed in her native regalia, Kim will teach about the role women played within the family unit and explore the significance of Native women, such as Singing Bird (Blackhawk's wife) and Hononegah. 

Speaker Bios

Ernest M. Whiteman III

Ernest M. Whiteman III is a Northern Arapaho filmmaker, artist, writer, and media educator. Ernest is the Co-director of First Nations Film and Video Festival, Inc. a non-profit film festival supporting Native American directors. He teaches an upper-level communications course, “Native Americans in Media” at the University of Wisconsin Parkside. He is a Producer/Editor with Truth and Documentary, an independent workshop rooted in the traditions of journalism, communications, ethnography, and cinema. He is working on a contemporary film adaptation of Hamlet with a full cast of Native American actors. Ernest has two self-published books The Autobiography of Blue Woman and A Rez Tale. He is currently working on many film and video projects including Ten in Ten, a documentary series, and An Indigenous Peoples’ History of the Zombie War, an Urban Native Horror. He is from the Wind River Reservation and currently lives in Skokie. As Ernest says—not bad for a nameless Arapaho from Wyoming.

Kim Sigafus

Kim Sigafus is an award-winning Ojibwa author who writes Native American fiction, non-fiction, children’s and young adult books. She has presented on native history, food, and music, and has traveled all over the Midwest in her native regalia, bringing native culture to life. Kim’s family is from White Earth Reservation, located in the northwest corner of Minnesota. She sings and drums, as well as crafts dream catchers and Talking Feathers. Kim owns Quiet Souls, a Native American Inspired Gift store in Freeport, where she offers native presentations several times a year.

Adult/Teen/Children Reading Lists