Author: Janet

The relationship between the United States Federal Government and Native American Tribes is complicated. It has been burdened by a variety of factors from removal to resettlement, treaties made and broken, and, most recently, allotment and assimilation. Today, complications proliferate with Native Americans being sovereign within their territory but having no say in other matters.

These complex issues will be discussed on Saturday, May 18 at 1 p.m. with Professor Stephen Prevar, who will be unraveling the intricacies of this topic. The discussion will highlight his groundbreaking book, now in its 5th edition, The Rights of Indian Tribes. This is both an in-person lecture at the Institute For American Indian Studies on 38 Curtis Road in Washington and a virtual program.

Stephen Pevar, retired Senior Staff Attorney for the ACLU and current professor of Advanced Federal Indian Law at Yale Law School, will take participants through seven key Supreme Court decisions that have shaped this complex legal landscape in a lecture called “Indian Rights: 7 Game-Changing Decisions.” It will be an enlightening discussion, and participants will leave with a better understanding of the complex nature of these issues. After this lecture, there will be time for questions and answers and a book signing for those wishing to purchase a copy of Pevar’s book.

This special lecture is the first in a series commemorating the hundredth anniversary of the Indian Citizen Act passed on June 2, 1924, that granted citizenship to all Native Americans born in the U.S. This lecture series strives to navigate this complex history and current legal status of Native American citizenship and rights.

If attending in person, preregistration is requested. If attendance is virtual, visit http://www.iaismuseum.org or https://iaismuseum.charityproud.org/EventRegistration/Index/16177 to register and receive a Zoom link. The price of attending this lecture, in person or virtually is $5 for Non-Members and free for Members of the Institute.

In collaboration with Fairfield Museum and History Center at 370 Beach Road, Fairfield, CT, the Lockwood-Mathews Mansion Museum will present, The Mansion’s Gilded Age Tea, on Sunday, May 19, 2024, from 2-4 p.m.

Co-chaired by LMMM Trustees Tatiana Mendoza and Kathy Olsen, this event will feature luxurious tea refreshments, a silent auction, a hat contest, music by Harpist Wendy Kerner, and a fascinating exploration of Fairfield Museum’s exhibit titled, Money Talks: The Gilded Age in Fairfield. Doors will open at 1:30 p.m. and tickets are $60 for members and $65 for non-members (for both museums) available to purchase online at: www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com. Proceeds will benefit LMMM’s and Fairfield Museum’s educational and cultural programs. Event co-chair Tatiana Mendoza said, “We are thrilled to collaborate with Fairfield Museum for a memorable afternoon filled with history, culture, and tea delights. Guests will have an opportunity to stroll the beautiful flagstone patio, shop for gifts donated by local businesses, and revel in the Gilded Age era while learning about the estates that once graced Connecticut’s Gold Coast.”

The exhibition will explore immigrant labor and innovative businessmen, domestic servants, wealthy vacationers, growing public need and local benefactors. Dichotomies characterize the Gilded Age in Fairfield. The “Gilded Age” (1865-1912) was a period of immense growth in America known for lavish expressions of wealth and cavernous class distinctions. In 1873, Mark Twain gave the era its name with the novel, The Gilded Age: A Tale of Today. Tremendous social and economic changes could also be found in Fairfield—changes that would not have been possible without the working class supporting the grand lifestyle of the upper classes. This exhibition presents the industrialists, philanthropists, and entrepreneurs who summered in the Fairfield area, including P.T. Barnum, Annie Burr and Oliver Gould Jennings, Dr. Ira DeVer Warner, and Jonathan and Harriet V.S. Thorne, alongside the people who made their lifestyles possible. Money Talks: The Gilded Age in Fairfield is on view at the Fairfield Museum and History Center through June 16, 2024.

About the Fairfield Museum and History Center
Fairfield Museum and History Center, located at 370 Beach Road, Fairfield, CT, is a vibrant nexus of community life offering dynamic family programs and exhibitions, sparking dialogue and deliberating the challenges of the future. Central to our community-focused mission is a desire to provide important historical context to pressing issues of our time, and to offer a safe, trustworthy environment where multiple perspectives can be heard, and collective solutions explored. http://www.fairfieldhistory.org or call (203) 259-1598.

Wendy Kerner received her Bachelor and Master of Music Degrees from The Juilliard School in NYC and is the principal harpist with The Norwalk and Ridgefield Symphonies in Connecticut and The Westchester Chamber Soloists in New York.
The Mansion’s Gilded Age Tea is made possible in part by Bigelow Tea and catering by Palmer’s. LMMM’s 2024 programs are made possible in part by LMMM’s Founding Patrons: The Estate of Mrs. Cynthia Clark Brown; LMMM’s Leadership Patrons: The Sealark Foundation; and LMMM’s 2024 Season Distinguished Benefactors: The City of Norwalk, The Maurice Goodman Foundation, and Lockwood-Mathews Foundation, Inc. For more information on tours and programs, please visit http://www.lockwoodmathewsmansion.com, email info@lockwoodmathewsmansion.com

In today’s world where most things are mechanized or electronic, learning traditional skills is meaningful because it takes participants back to a time that they only read about in history books. One of the most amazing things about traditional skills is learning how to transform natural materials into something useful, by hand and sheer human ingenuity. On Sunday, April 28, at 1 p.m. and 3 p.m., the Institute for American Indian Studies is offering two 1.5-hour traditional skills programs and walks that will focus on identifying and processing useful local minerals and stones used in tool making.

Join Traditional Skills Expert and IAIS Head of Fabrication and Exhibit Production, Griffin Kalin, for a discussion and walk that will take you back in time where local minerals and stones were used to produce ceramics, stone axes, projectile points, and adzes. This realm of knowledge has ensured the survival of people in the Eastern Woodlands for millenniums, and more importantly, is part of our human heritage.

With both a discussion and a short hike, potential participants should keep in mind the second half will require adequate footwear and may not be accessible to those with limited mobility.

Space is limited and pre-registration is required for this program. To register visit www.iaismuseum.org, email events@iaismuseum.org, or call 860-868-0517. The price of participation is $10 for members of the Institute and $20 for non-members.

About The Institute for American Indian Studies

Located on 15 acres of woodland acres the Institute For American Indian Studies preserves and educates through archeology, research, exhibitions, and programs. They have a 16th c. Algonquian Village, Award-Winning Wigwam Escape, and a museum with temporary and permanent displays of authentic artifacts from prehistory to the present allows visitors to foster a new understanding of the world and the history and culture of Native Americans. The Institute for American Indian Studies is located at 38 Curtis Road, in Washington, Connecticut.

This April, Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo is calling on the community to join in celebrating Earth Day through its annual “Party for the Planet.” A series of engaging and educational activities are planned and designed to celebrate and inspire conservation action and appreciation for our planet’s incredible biodiversity.

Kicking off the Party on Saturday, April 20, at 9 am, the zoo will host an array of green-themed activities for all ages. In collaboration with the AZA SAFE program. One River School of Art & Design, an Art Sculpture Show will feature stunning sculptures of endangered animals created from recycled materials. Additionally, visitors can get hands-on at the DIY seed ball table and create custom seed balls to take home for their own pollinator gardens, contributing to local ecosystem support.

Also happening on Saturday, Energize Connecticut, in partnership with Avangrid, presents the “Energy In Action” Mobile Interactive Exhibit, a unique and innovative experience teaching children and adults alike how to become an Energy-Efficient Generation. Visitors can participate in energy-saving experiments while being introduced to green energy sources, emphasizing the benefits of an energy-efficient community.

Artwork created out of recycled items by students of One River Art School will be on display, showcasing the intersection of art, conservation, and sustainability. This exhibit, part of the “Party for the Planet,” demonstrates ways to repurpose materials and highlights the importance of recycling.

The weekend will also see the zoo leading a cleanup effort in Beardsley Park on both April 20 and April 21 from 9 am to 12 pm. This vital initiative aims to clean up litter and beautify the park, fostering a cleaner environment for all. Participants in the cleanup will receive free admission to the Zoo for the day they volunteer, with registration required to ensure a spot due to limited availability.

To round off the month’s events, on Saturday, April 27, the zoo invites the community to visit the Community Pollinator Garden in Beardsley Park. Volunteers, guided by the zoo’s educational staff, will have the opportunity to engage in hands-on conservation action, aiding in the garden’s upkeep and learning about the importance of pollinators.

“Our ‘Party for the Planet’ is more than a celebration; it’s a call to action,” said Gregg Dancho, Director of Connecticut’s Beardsley Zoo. “Through these activities, we aim to foster a connection between our community and the environment, highlighting the importance of every individual’s role in conservation.”