Roots & Routes
2023 Signature Series
Join Missouri Humanities on our “Roots & Routes” journey as we consider the movement of people, both voluntary and involuntary, and its influence on the cultural heritage, natural environment, and modern makeup of Missouri.
Through both in-person public programming and digital content, we aim to explore what has influenced the movement of people into, out of, and within our state, and take a glance at how both chosen and forced migrations and changes in transportation throughout our state’s history have shaped Missouri and continue to weave a tapestry of diverse cultures that ultimately define and redefine this place.
FEATURED FILM
Si Otsedoha (We Are Still Here): Remembering Cherokee Removal
Presenting the debut short film of our 2023 Signature Series. The film follows the Remember The Removal Bike Ride and highlights the endurance, emotions, and bonds of Cherokee people over nearly 1,000 miles along the Trail of Tears. Missouri is the longest and one of the toughest sections of the ride, sometimes called “Misery” by riders because of its hilly terrain.
Thank you to the Remember the Removal Bike Ride and Cherokee Nation for allowing us to share this story.
Digital Events:
Roots & Routes:
The Podcast
Throughout 2023, the “Roots & Routes” podcast series will bring you conversations with special guests that explore the movement of people, both voluntary and involuntary, and its influence on the cultural heritage, natural environment, and modern makeup of Missouri.
Join us as we look at how these movements have shaped Missouri and, to this day, weave a tapestry of diverse cultures that ultimately define and redefine this place.
Episode 6: Preserving Hispanic Stories in Missouri is now available!
Past Events
2023 Signature Series
Roots & Routes of the Ozarks: People and Pathways
More About Roots & Routes of the Ozarks
Missouri Humanities’ 6th Annual Humanities Symposium, “Roots & Routes of the Ozarks: People & Pathways” was centered around the movement of people into, out of, and within the Ozarks. It examined how both chosen and forced migration, as well as historical changes in transportation, continue to inhabit and shape the region.
Our keynote presentation was held on Friday, April 28th, 2023 and our four program sessions on Saturday, April 29th, 2023.
To learn more about the past keynote presenter Candacy Taylor, cultural documentarian and author of the bestselling book, Overground Railroad: The Green Book and the Roots of Black Travel in America, click the link below.
2023 Signature Series
Roots & Routes in Missouri: A Virtual Roundtable
More About Roots & Routes in Missouri
How does the movement of people impact the past, present, and future of Missouri? Missouri Humanities hosted a roundtable discussion to help answer this question and to set the stage for its Signature Series, “Roots & Routes: The Movement and Settlement of Missourians.” Our dynamic panel of speakers of varying areas of expertise, differing perspectives, and diverse backgrounds helped answer some stage-setting questions as we broadly explored some of the bigger shifts in migration patterns and how the movement of people has impacted our state.
