In this lecture, Professor Christine Kinealy (Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute, Quinnipiac University) pays tribute to the Choctaw and Cherokee Nations that contributed to Irish Famine relief in 1847 shortly after their traumatic journeys to Indian Territory (now Oklahoma) on the Trail of Tears. She will examine how these Choctaw and Cherokee contributions provided aid for Ireland that was channeled under the auspices of the British Relief Association and its patron, Queen Victoria. She will also explore their rich legacies in creating lasting bonds of friendship between the Choctaw Nation and the Irish people, inspiring artistic works on both sides of the Atlantic, and a circle of giving between Native Americans and the Irish in times of need.

This event is jointly hosted by the American Irish Historical Society, Ireland’s Great Hunger Institute at Quinnipiac University, the Irish Heritage Trust, and the National Famine Museum, Strokestown Park. It is funded by the Government of Ireland Emigrant Support Programme.