Marshall McKay Seminar for Empowering Native Knowledge: Perspectives on Native Art and Museums

Posted on: December 17, 2022

Marshall McKay outdoors with a mountain behind him — Marshall McKay. Photo courtesy the Family of Marshall McKay.

cover of seminar booklet, close up detail of basket

Named in honor of Marshall McKay, former Chairman of the Yocha Dehe Wintun Nation Tribal Council and the first Native person to serve as Chair of the Autry’s Board, the Marshall McKay Seminar seeks to empower Native knowledge. It will address topics that impact Indian Country—and beyond.

Through a generous grant from the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, the Autry held the Marshall McKay Seminar for Empowering Native Knowledge on April 22-23, 2022 at two Autry facilities: the Resources Center and the museum campus in Griffith Park. The inaugural seminar delved into the significant changes that have reshaped museums and their relationship to Native history, culture, and art. The two-day symposium, which was livestreamed across Indian Country, featured a variety of perspectives from Native artists, knowledge keepers, scholars, and museum professionals. Panels explored how Native curators are changing the museum narrative, the role of tribal museums, and the interpretation of Native art, with a particularly deep dive into California Native art.

In the spirit of Marshall McKay’s generosity and support of Native communities, the Seminar proceedings were published and distributed for free to tribal colleges and museums across the country. For those that did not receive a catalog, please feel free to download a copy below. Furthermore, those that could not make the Seminar in person or could not participate in the livestream, links to the recorded sessions can be found below.

View/Download: Marshall McKay Seminar for Empowering Native Knowledge: Perspectives on Native Art and Museums Catalog

McKay Seminar Videos - Click the index icon on the upper right (1/23) to see a list of all 23 videos and their topics