Indigenous Wisconsin
Celebrate Indigenous History and the First Nations of Wisconsin
Explore and learn about the history, culture, and contemporary status of the Native Nations and Indigenous people who call Wisconsin home.
Browse featured resources from the Wisconsin Historical Society and our partners, including high quality educational material for teachers, as well as books written by and about Native people from the Wisconsin Historical Society Press.
Ojibwe Storytelling Series
Winter is storytelling season
Free Virtual Storytelling
In Ojibwe culture, winter is storytelling season. The Wisconsin Historical Society celebrates by featuring Ojibwe storytellers in a virtual series launched in early 2022.
Learn MoreNative Nations of Wisconsin
Wisconsin Powwows
Powwows are tribal or community-based events that celebrate Native heritage through traditional singing and dancing.
The powwows listed on this page are open to the public. We encourage anyone who would like to learn more about Wisconsin Native people to attend and enjoy these public events.
Please remember to be respectful to the local communities, their laws, and customs.
Learn MoreTribal Centers & Cultural Museums
Cultural Center, Library, & MuseumForest County Potawatomi
Ho-Chunk Nation Museum and Cultural CenterHo-Chunk Nation
George W. Brown Jr. Ojibwe Museum & Cultural CenterLac du Flambeau Band of Lake Superior Chippewa
Menominee Cultural MuseumMenominee Nation
Oneida Nation MuseumOneida Nation
Wisconsin Historical Society Resources
Wisconsin Historical Society Press Books by Native Authors
Resources for Teachers & Administrators
Fact Sheet for American Indian Studies in Wisconsin (via WI DPI)
State Statutes for American Indian Studies in Wisconsin (via WI DPI)
Highlighted Resources from our Partners
Walter Bresette
Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe)
Walter led rallies in the 1980s and 1990s to educate others on how the rights the Ojibwe retained in 1800s treaties with the United States still hold true today.
From the Wisconsin Biographies seriesChief Oshkosh
Menominee
Chief Oshkosh faced difficult choices as he led his people through trying times. He spoke out for the health of his people and the conservation of their forest.
From the Wisconsin Biographies seriesMarkers, Monuments, and Meaning - Wisconsin's Built Environment
Learn about the role of monumental art in Wisconsin and investigate the current controversy over historical monuments and markers with panelists Aaron Bird Bear (Mandan, Hidatsa, Dine) and Kacie Lucchini Butcher.
Moderated by Christian Øverland, the Ruth and Hartley Barker Director and CEO of the Wisconsin Historical Society, and Dr. Robert Smith, professor of history and director of Marquette University’s Center for Urban Research, Teaching, and Outreach.
September 30, 2020