Gateway to the West: #OMAMAC
Spring is in the air and it’s the time of year for archivists across the Midwest to commiserate and share innovations and stories from their institutions. The Midwest Archives Conference occurred in Omaha, Nebraska last week, and I was fortunate enough to attend. Having never been to Omaha I was not sure what to expect of the city, but it is a lovely town with a rich history. Chief Standing Bear One of these rich histories is the impact of Chief Standing Bear of the Ponca tribe and the landmark court ruling in his favor. During the opening session of the conference journalist and historian Joe Starita and Nebraska Educational Television producer Christine Lesiak presented Standing Bear’s story. From the MAC program: “…Ponca chief Standing Bear, who, in 1877, was forcibly removed along with his tribe from his Nebraska homeland and marched to what was then known as Indian Territory (now Oklahoma). In an attempt to honor his son’s dying wish to be returned to their tradi