ONLINE: Frontier Diplomats or Agents of Empire: U.S. Indian Agents in Wisconsin, 1812-1845

media release:The Wisconsin Historical Society Speakers Bureau offers an exciting opportunity for our historians, curators and authors to visit your community and share the stories of our great state.

Life in Wisconsin during much of the first half of the 19th century was defined by the interactions between Native Americans and white settlers moving into the region. Indian Agents were a critical but often overlooked part of this relationship. They were the main conduit by which tribes could communicate with the federal government. They were also the eyes and ears of leaders in Washington. Indian agents also performed critical local roles such as Justice of the Peace and postmaster. Join historian Pete Shrake as he explores this unique federal official and the men who made up its ranks.

Presented by: Peter Shrake, current archivist at Circus World Museum; past director of the Sauk County Historical Museum and past reference archivist at the Wisconsin Historical Society. Author of The Silver Man: The Life and Times of Indian Agent John Kinzie.