LINCOLN, NEB (Aug. 31, 2005)—The Lewis and Clark Midwest Trail States have formed an alliance to host a series of panel presentations/discussions surrounding the importance of diplomatic relations between the federal government, state and local governments and American Indian Tribes. The seven Midwest Trail States include Illinois, Missouri, Kansas, Nebraska, Iowa, South Dakota and North Dakota. The Kansas Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission will serve as lead state and manage the overall Diplomacy Symposium Project.

The Nebraska Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission will host a free Native American Symposium on Monday, September 26, 1-4:30 p.m. at Metro Community College, Fort Omaha Campus, Building 7 in Omaha. The public is encouraged to attend.

This series of symposia seeks to broaden the circle of interest beyond Corps of Discovery enthusiasts and give voice to important, but under-represented perspectives. These symposia will offer a forum to examine and compare the diplomatic cultural practices of the United States and those of the Indian nations met by the Corps of Discovery.

The symposium presentations will focus on three areas of American Indian diplomatic relations. The first presentation, starting at 1:20 p.m., will discuss the policies that were in place prior to and leading up to the Lewis and Clark Expedition. At 2:30 p.m., the second presentation will focus on federal, state and local governments’ Native American Indian policies and diplomatic relationships during the past 200 years. At 3:40 p.m. the final presentation will focus on changes anticipated for future American Indian policies of federal, state and local governments. A question and answer session will follow the presentations at 4:30 p.m.

Speakers include Robert Miller, associate professor, Lewis & Clark Law School, Portland, Ore., Dr. James Riding In, associate professor, School of Justice studies, Arizona State University, Tempe, Ariz., and Leonika R. Charging, associate attorney, Johnson Thompson LLP, Omaha, Neb.

The project’s many goals include increasing public awareness of the importance of diplomatic relationships with American Indian tribal governments, encouraging statewide participation in the Midwest Trail States’ Commemorative activities, and finally, providing a forum for American Indians to share their heritage in their own words by participating in the panel discussions.

These public symposia will seek to reshape and enrich the conversation about the Lewis and Clark Expedition and the cultural aftermath experienced by the Tribal Nations following the Lewis and Clark Expedition. It is the hope of the Midwest Trail States that these symposia will lead to further research and perhaps foster changes in the diplomatic relationships of the United States and Tribal Nations across the United States.

A National Park Service Challenge Cost Share Grant awarded to the Kansas Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission on behalf of the Midwest Trail States is making this series of symposia possible.

For information about the Nebraska Native American Symposia, contact Kim Bastemeyer, coordinator of the Nebraska Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission at 402-471-3368, or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

For information about the Midwest Trail States Diplomacy Symposia, contact Chris Howell, vice chair of the Kansas Lewis and Clark Bicentennial Commission at 785-368-6547, or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it

FOR INFORMATION, CONTACT:

Kim Bastemeyer, Coordinator, Nebraska Lewis & Clark Bicentennial Commission at 402-471-3368, or email: This e-mail address is being protected from spam bots, you need JavaScript enabled to view it