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North American First Peoples Day Panel Discussion
2026-10-05 18:00:00
2026-10-05 20:00:00
America/New_York
North American First Peoples Day Panel Discussion
Join members of the Northern Cheyenne and Akron communities for a panel discussion on the annual Portage Path Walk, which helped inspire North American First Peoples Day in Akron and Summit County.
Main Library - Auditorium
Monday, October 05
6:00pm - 8:00pm
Main Library
AuditoriumJoin members of the Northern Cheyenne and Akron communities for a panel discussion on the annual Portage Path Walk, which helped inspire North American First Peoples Day in Akron and Summit County.
Panelists will share the history of this unique initiative, which grew from a longstanding cultural exchange between The Lippman School and the Northern Cheyenne Nation. They will discuss how student-led advocacy, community partnerships, and cross-cultural relationships led Akron City Council to establish North American First Peoples Day in 2018, followed by Summit County's adoption of a companion resolution in 2019. Unlike many communities, Akron and Summit County created a distinct holiday dedicated to honoring Native American history, culture, and contributions.
The conversation will also explore the significance of the historic Portage Path, the origins and impact of the annual commemorative walk, and the ongoing importance of cultural preservation, education, and Indigenous representation.
Featured panelists include Burt Medicine Bull (Setovaatse), a Northern Cheyenne language instructor, cultural educator, and participant in nine of the ten annual walks, and Rosalia Badhorse, Northern Cheyenne language and culture instructor. Additional participants may include former Lippman School students whose testimony helped make the case for the resolution before Akron City Council. This panel discussion will be moderated by Sam Chestnut, chief of staff for Jewish Akron.
This program offers a unique opportunity to hear directly from the individuals whose collaboration, advocacy, and commitment helped create a lasting community tradition and recognition of Indigenous peoples in Akron and Summit County.
Check out the website, Walk Portage Path, for more information about Native American tribes like the Seneca and Delaware who used the Portage Path to travel between the Cuyahoga and Tuscarawas Rivers.
AGE GROUP: | Adults |
EVENT TYPE: | Education | Community Event |
Main Library
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About the branch
Drive-up Window closes fifteen minutes before the building closes for the day.
Main Library, located in the heart of downtown Akron, combines compelling public space with meaningful and relevant public library services for all members of our community. Since opening in 2004, the downtown library welcomes more than one million visitors each year.
Subject divisions include: Business, Government & Science, Culture & AV, Magazines & Newspapers, Special Collections (local history & genealogy), TechZone@Main, Teen, and a 12,000 square feet Children's Library.
Special services available at Main Library include: a Patent & Trademark Resource Center; U.S. Passport and Notary services; a Microbusiness Center; a Maker Space; a resource lab for early childhood educators; and regularly scheduled computer training classes. Also available at Main Library are more than 125 public access computers, color photocopiers/printers, laminating, scanning, faxing, and free Wi-Fi.
Specialized spaces include a 425-seat auditorium, public meeting rooms, and a used bookstore. An interior glass block walkway leads to a 600-space parking garage owned by the City of Akron. An outdoor amphitheater and landscaped park complete the complex.