Creating this timeline was probably the most challenging part of this course thus far! Luckily I understand it now and even though it may not be as beautiful as it probably could be, it’s something I created and am proud of the end product.
When creating the timeline, I grabbed a bunch of dates from the readings that I felt were interesting and topics I would want to investigate further. Some of the dates I was given were in fact B.C.E. which was super interesting and the silent debates between archaeologists and actual native members really makes you question just how reliable modern science and history is.
All in all, my experience with creating a timeline was certainly positive and beneficial. It is a skill that will be incredibly helpful for both the final project, and other research and assignments I do in the future!
(Left to Right) Liz Argentieri, Jonathon Grunert, Hannah McSorley, (Front) Jack Kitzen.
While working on the scavenger hunt, I realized just how many resources my library has to offer and just how underutilized they truly are by students such as myself. The librarian workers and archivist were incredibly kind and show a big interest in the project Hannah and I will be working on—they were nice enough to show us around and later label things we will be needing for our research.
I was honestly very shocked by how much the library archives had to offer—we have hand drawn maps that cannot be found anywhere else but here, how cool! I was expecting there to be only a few things to use and a disinterest from the staff in our project, but I was pleasantly surprised. The archivist Liz was bursting at the seams with excitement for our project, eager to assist us with out research and looking forward to all the new finds we will produce through our project.
If anything, the scavenger hunt got me excited to actually begin doing independent research (well not solely independent because Hannah will be helping me, along with Liz). Because of our project, Liz said she could probably gain a collection of letters from the Wadsworth family that the library was originally pursuing but recently stopped pushing for the letters.
The resources the library has to offer is tremendous and Hannah and I are so grateful for all the assistance the library has offered to us, making us feel truly welcomed.
The scavenger hunt while difficult and daunting at first, has certainly allowed me to become excited for the research that needs to be done, but also has encouraged me to get out of my comfort zone and use resources offered to me as frequently as they are needed.
Link to scavenger hunt sheet: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rZ6jt9w_xyIyC8IY072qIgpCdtyIBN9Qx9lQxxqmj9o/edit
Welcome to Hidden Pasts Sites: Mary Jemison (The White Woman of the Genesee) was born to an immigrant family coming to the New World, only to later be adopted by the Seneca nation during her teens. The story of Mary Jemison’s life is crucial to studying the relationships between white settlers and native nations, as well as the gender roles existing within the matriarchal Haudenosaunee society.
Mary Jemison is a crucial figure for the the land which SUNY Geneseo resides on. Not only did she live on this land but she is also currently buried here, at Letchworth State Park. Additionally, Mary Jemison was one of many Haudenosaunee people present at the Treaty of Big Tree, a pivotal point in Geneseo’s history and the history of America in general.
On campus, Mary Jemison is known simply as “MJ” and thought of as nothing more than a dining hall. Presently there is nothing informing students of where the name originates from and why they should care, as is the case with all buildings located on campus. SUNY Geneseo should serve their purpose of education by properly informing the faculty and students, rather than voluntarily withholding information about the rich history that exists not only within the land of the United States, but also Geneseo personally.
