By Chris Beswetherick
Learning about and remembering the Holocaust is important, but we would be best served not to forget about the other genocides through history. The Ray Wolpow Institute for the Study of the Holocaust, Genocide, and Crimes Against Humanity, on Wednesday January 18, will host UCLA’s Associate Professor of History Benjamin Madley in Academic West 204 at 4 p.m to discuss his stance on Native American genocides in the United States.
Madley is one of the first academics to extensively research the trends of population decline of the Tolowa tribe. His investigates the Tolowa tribe from 1851 until 1856, where he analyzes certain massacres and compares them side-to-side with the definition of genocide. Madley also researches pre-1851 factors that caused Americans to kill whole tribes.
“I think last year, there was a controversy where in a history class, there was a discussion if [Native American Genocide] could be considered genocide or not,” Sandra Alfers, founding director of the Ray Wolpow Institute, said. “[The term was] adopted in 1948 by the United Nations, coined in the light of the events of the Holocaust, so can you use that 20th century concept when you talk about 19th century Native American communities with very different setups? Madley argues you can.”
According to Madley’s chapter in “New Directions in Genocide Research,” up to 82 percent of the tribe died or was killed between 1851 and 1856. The population declined from 5000 to 900 in those five years.
His chapter, titled “When ‘The World Was Turned Upside Down’: California and Oregon’s Tolowa Indian Genocide, 1851-1856,” provides examples of American actions that suggest genocide. Tolowa villages were burned entirely, California Indians did not have full government protection and the government also supplied munitions to Americans wanting to kill Indians. Overall, the chapter tries to prove the argument that genocide is an applicable term to these mass killings. Madley wants the world to know this.
“I think it is a really important topic because we are at a university and in the United States, sitting on native land,” Alfers said. “I think hopefully [Madley] will be a way to reach out to our community and inform them this is something we want to learn about.”
The Ray Wolpow Institute has previously hosted Michael Berenbaum and Noemi Ban for lessons on the Holocaust. Now, still focused on genocide, they have shifted their focus.
“One of our main objectives for winter quarter is trying reach out and being more engaged with our Native American communities,” Alfers said.
Since its inception in the summer of 2016 the institute has gained popularity, and hopes to maintain the university’s interest. Their efforts have introduced the institute to more people in the community and inspired increased involvement.
“We are co-organizing [the lecture] with two other departments: the history department and libraries,” Alfers said.
The institute also invites anyone to attend a luncheon with Madley from 12 – 1 p.m. on Wednesday January 18 in VU 565. Visit https://wp.wwu.edu/raywolpowinstitute/lunch-with-the-scholar/ for more information.