Through anecdotal historical and contemporary narratives, this seminar presents compelling evidence that Native Americans and African Americans have provided unique intertwining social, political and cultural contributions to the development of our United States society. This symbiotic relationship contributed to establishing collaborative agency between these similarly oppressed people in their efforts to gain equal rights and equal status in a world strongly opposed to such gains.

Darryl Omar Freeman, Lecturer, is a University Faculty Senator and Adjunct Lecturer in the Department of Ethnic Studies at California State University, Sacramento. He is an accomplished researcher, writer, speaker, and social/cultural critic. His scholastic work spans many different social and political arenas – from public policy reform and racial/cultural representation in the United States to community of color identity issues, critical ethnic coalition movement building, and social political issues of the African Diaspora. He is presently part of the leadership committee coordinating the “Ethnic Studies Now” effort to institute a requirement in the State of California that all high school students take an Introduction to Ethnic Studies course as a graduation requirement. There is presently a pilot program in five Sacramento Unified School District high schools

As an engaged community activist Freeman has served as a Board Member, Center for African Peace and Conflict Resolution, Black Lives Matter moderator, co-organizer of the “Red Hand Day” Coalition to Stop the Use of Child Soldiers, African American Graduation Celebration Steering Committee member, a Cooper-Woodson College Peer Mentor and has been a Loaves and Fishes Homeless Inc. service volunteer for over 20 years.

Professor Freeman has been a guest speaker and chaired many academic conference panels and is a member of the following academic organizations; The American Anthropological Association, The American Political Science Association, National Association of Ethnic Studies, National Conference of Black Political Scientists, National Council for Black Studies, and the Southwestern Social Sciences Association. He has also been Associate Editor for the Africana Journal, San Francisco State University and Assistant Editor of the Sacramento Hmong Journal, Sacramento. Publications include “Mixed-Race Individuals: A Solution for Race Relations in America” in Introduction to Ethnic Studies (Dale Allender and Gregory Ye Mark, eds., Kendall Hunt Publishing 2016).

Today’s event is made possible, in part, by an Action Grant from Humanities New York. Humanities New York encourages critical thinking and cultural understanding in the public arena through grants, programs, networking and advocacy. Visit humanitiesny.org to learn more.