Reclaiming the Identity and Lost Community of the Piscataway Tribe
Long before Europeans started arriving in the New World, the Piscataway people were the largest tribal nation between the Chesapeake Bay and Potomac River, and as far west as the Appalachian foothills. But the tribe slowly lost control of their ancestral lands to the new settlers, and by 1800, even rights and reservations promised by colonial governments were retracted.
Join the UMGC community for a discussion on the original natives of Southern Maryland—the Piscataway people. Learn of their history, where they are now, how to support them, and ways to preserve their story.
About the Speaker
Gabrielle Tayac, a native Piscataway, holds a PhD in sociology from Harvard University and is a George Mason University (GMU) associate professor of Native American and Indigenous Studies. A community-engaged public historian, she served as an inaugural curator, historian, and educator at the Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian, helping to transform museum practices to energize Native reunification with cultural sources that uphold tribal sovereignty and civic education. At GMU, Tayac also supports students as an undergraduate advisor and advisor to the Native American and Indigenous Alliance.
Please plan to attend this special hybrid event.
When
Wednesday, November 12, 2025
Noon–1 p.m. eastern time
Where
IN PERSON at the UMGC Administration Building
(Light refreshments will be served.)
or
ONLINE via Zoom
Note
You must register to attend. Login information will be emailed to you.