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.
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