Indigenous Studies Department Launch and 50th Anniversary Celebration

Good afternoon!

I am delighted to welcome all of you to today’s celebration.

As we launch this new department, we also recognize 50 years of Indigenous Studies at UB—a milestone for this critical field of study.

As many of you are aware, UB’s Native American Studies program was among the first of its kind. It was a ground-breaking endeavor on many levels.

From its founding in 1972, this program focused much of its scholarship on the culture of the lands upon which our university operates. And over the years, it has received national recognition for its combination of community engagement, grass-roots activist scholarship, and land-based learning. As we reflect on the vibrant past of Indigenous Studies at UB, I know we all look forward to what the next 50 years will bring.

Our Department of Indigenous Studies marks a bold new chapter for this field at UB. It brings our work into direct conversation with the community. It serves as a model of how to re-align humanities expertise with 21^st-century challenges. And it ensures that all students understand how issues of indigeneity impact the quest for solutions.

Importantly, this department builds on the work of the dedicated faculty and students who, 50 years ago, advocated for indigenous scholarship at UB.

Of course, any conversation about this subject would be incomplete without today’s keynote speaker.

SUNY Distinguished Professor Oren Lyons was a UB faculty member for nearly 40 years. A professor of American Studies, he was a founder and director of UB’s Native Studies Program.

As an author and activist, Professor Lyons has dedicated his life to advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples. He was a leader in the Trail of Broken Treaties— the 1972 caravan to Washington, D.C., to convince the Bureau of Indian Affairs to honor federal treaties. Ten years later, he helped establish the United Nations’ Working Group on Indigenous Populations.

Professor Lyons is a founder of the Traditional Circle of Indian Elders—the grassroots council of the major Indian Nations of North America. And he has served on the executive committee of the U.N.’s Global Forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival.

Earlier this year, Professor Lyons was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences—one of the country’s most prestigious honorary societies.

In addition to all of these achievements, Professor Lyons is an accomplished artist. And, fittingly, he has a piece in the exhibition here at the Anderson Gallery!

On behalf of all of us at UB, I want to thank Professor Lyons for everything he has contributed to UB during his distinguished career, and for the impact his scholarship has had on the many communities we serve.

It is now my pleasure to introduce Professor Oren Lyons.