Amended, Episode 6: Walking in Two Worlds
When the 19th Amendment was ratified in 1920, a large number of Native American women still could not vote. The U.S. government did not recognize them as citizens. And if having U.S. citizenship required them to renounce tribal sovereignty, many Native women didn’t want it. But early-twentieth-century writer, composer, and activist Zitkála-Šá was determined to fight for both.
In this episode, host Laura Free speaks with digital artist Marlena Myles (Spirit Lake Dakota) whose art is inspired by Dakota imagery and history, and by Zitkála-Šá’s legacy. Dr. Cathleen Cahill, author of "Recasting the Vote: How Women of Color Transformed the Suffrage Movement," returns to help tell the story of Zitkála-Šá’s struggle for a “layered” U.S. citizenship that included the acknowledgment of Native American sovereignty.
This final episode of the "Amended" series from Humanities New York, demonstrates once again how those who have been marginalized within U.S. democracy have worked, and continue to work, to hold the nation accountable for its promise of liberty and equality for all.
Amended in Action, Episode 6: Music and Activism: A Conversation with Joanne Shenandoah
Joanne Shenandoah, a member of the Oneida Nation Wolf Clan, has earned global notoriety as a Grammy Award-winning singer-songwriter. She has performed for the Dalai Lama and Nelson Mandela. She’s graced the stage at a list of prestigious venues including the White House, Carnegie Hall and the Vatican. As host Michael Riecke explains in this episode of "Amended in Action," Shenandoah has also leveraged her music career to improve conditions for women, children, and the earth through her lyrics, advocacy and service.
