Brandon Kilbourne, Evolutionary Biologist and Poet, and Carlton Shield Chief Gover, KU Assistant Professor of Anthropology and Assistant Curator at the Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, will be in dialogue about some of the ways in which historic practices of collecting and exhibiting in museums globally have caused harm to communities. They will address some of the challenges faced by museums and museum workers, as they work to preserve elements of history in an effort to offer access to research and education, while offering perspectives on the potential for harm if done without the appropriate care and leadership of communities beyond institutions.

Some topics addressed will include: colonial legacies in museum spaces, best practices and ethics of care that guide collaborations with communities most directly impacted by these histories, and efforts toward repair.

Link to Zoom Registration: https://bit.ly/MuseumLegacies

This event is presented in The Commons in Spooner Hall and via Zoom. NAGPRA repatriation compliance is ongoing in this building. With 574 federally recognized Tribes in the United States representing diverse worldviews and cultural beliefs, Tribal Citizens at KU and in the community should be advised by their Tribal and cultural leaders regarding proximity to particular objects for cultural and religious reasons. Therefore, any event in this space will address this current reality and offer a Zoom option for attendance, ensuring that access to the information being shared is open and available. For more information about the status of repatriation work, visit repatriation.ku.edu.

This event is sponsored by the KU Biodiversity Institute and Natural History Museum, the Spencer Museum of Art, the Museum Studies Program, the Office of Sovereign Partnerships and Indigenous Initiatives, the Environmental Studies Program, the Department of Ecology & Evolutionary Biology, and The Commons.