Coming to Kentucky in 2025

August 23, 2025 – September 27, 2025: River Discovery Center, Paducah

October 4, 2025 – November 15, 2025: Muhlenberg County Public Library, Greenville

November 22, 2025 – January 3, 2026: Hickman County Memorial Library, Clinton

January 10, 2026 – February 21, 2026: Henderson County Public Library, Henderson

February 28, 2026 – April 11, 2026: Carroll County Public Library, Carrollton

April 18, 2026 – May 23, 2026: Woodford County Library, Versailles

May 30, 2026 – July 5, 2026: Highlands Museum and Discovery Center, Ashland

For questions or information, please contact Derek Beaven at derek.beaven@uky.edu or (859) 257-5932.

About the Exhibit

The images are everywhere, from the Land O’Lakes butter maiden to the Cleveland Indians’ mascot, from classic Westerns and cartoons to episodes of Seinfeld and South Park. American Indian names are everywhere too, from state, city, and street names to the Tomahawk missile. Americans highlights the ways in which American Indians have been part of the nation’s identity since before the country began. Familiar historical events of Pocahontas’s life, the Trail of Tears, and the Battle of Little Bighorn continue to speak to the imagination of many.

How is it that American Indians can be so present and so absent in American life? Pervasive, powerful, at times demeaning, the images, names, and stories reveal the deep connection between Americans and American Indians, as well as how American Indians have been embedded in unexpected ways in the history, pop culture, and identity of the United States.

The exhibition surrounds visitors with images and objects from popular culture and delves into these three historical events. It invites visitors to explore this complicated history and to share local stories about Native American history and culture.

The exhibition provides a great opportunity for host organizations to explore how the history of American Indians in their areas are incorporated into local stories. Are American Indian stories revered in your community? Or are those connections misunderstood or misused? How much of your community’s celebrated places, street names, local businesses, cultural icons and people have connections to American Indian stories? With support from state humanities councils and other state partners, Americans provides an interesting chance to generate relationships and conversations with local American Indian groups and organizations.

For more information, click the Americans link below.