With the 250th anniversary of American Independence ahead this summer, the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. will hold a day of educational programming titled "First Allies: Polly Cooper and the Oneida Indian Nation" on July 22, 2026. The event will feature the many contributions of the Oneida people and Oneida Revolutionary War heroine Polly Cooper to the founding of the United States.
ONEIDA INDIAN NATION HOMELANDS, N.Y., June 24, 2026 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ -- The Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian will partner with the Oneida Indian Nation on July 22, 2026, to present "First Allies: Polly Cooper and the Oneida Indian Nation" as part of America's celebration of its 250th anniversary and the Smithsonian Institution's Our Shared Future: 250 program. The event will bring together Nation Members and museum visitors for a full day of educational programming to highlight the critical role of the Oneida people—the only tribal nation to stand alongside colonists in their fight for freedom during the Revolutionary War—and Oneida heroine Polly Cooper in achieving American Independence.
The day will feature a variety of sessions, including:
- Traditional Oneida social dances that honor the gifts of the Creator by Oneida community members.
- Traditional Oneida food demonstrations: Preparation of the Three Sisters - corn, beans and squash and herbs significant in Oneida culture.
- A special presentation on Polly Cooper's legacy and how the Nation carries on her legacy today.
- A screening of The People of the Standing Stone: The Oneida Nation, the War for Independence, and the Making of America. Narrated by Academy Award winning actor Kevin Costner and directed by Ric Burns, the film traces the history of the Oneida Indian Nation and offers a deeper exploration of the story not often explained in history textbooks.
- A closer look at the Oneida Indian Nation's "Allies in War, Partners in Peace" exhibit at the museum. A gift of the Oneida Indian Nation on the occasion of the National Museum of the American Indian's opening in Washington, D.C. in 2004, the bronze sculpture depicts Polly Copper at its center flanked by Oneida Chief Shenendoah and General George Washington.
"We are proud to once again partner with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian to hold this event and shine a light on the history we share with the United States and our ancestors' role in its founding as we celebrate America's 250th anniversary," said Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter. "The founding of the United States and the historical accounts of the Revolution are too often told without references to our people and our ancestor Polly Cooper. Events like these honor our legacy and help to ensure our story is told for generations to come."
The Oneida Indian Nation became America's First Allies as the only tribal Nation to stand alongside American colonists on some of the bloodiest battlefields of the Revolutionary War due to its strong belief in the right of all people to sovereignty and self-determination. Polly Cooper, one of many Oneida ancestors who played a central role in this legacy, traveled with a band of Oneidas hundreds of miles from their Upstate New York homelands to bring essential food and supplies to General George Washington and his starving troops at Valley Forge.
Earlier this year, the Oneida Indian Nation Council joined a bipartisan group of members of Congress, representatives from the U.S. Treasury and members of the Daughters of the American Revolution Oneida Chapter in the U.S. Capitol for a reception celebrating the U.S. Mint's release of the 2026 Native American $1 Coin honoring Polly Cooper. The coin was created as part of a federal program that celebrates the contributions of tribal nations and Native American individuals to the country's development and growth.
About the Oneida Indian Nation
The Oneida Indian Nation is a federally recognized Indian nation in Central New York. A founding member of the Haudenosaunee Confederacy (also known as the Six Nations or Iroquois Confederacy), the Oneida Indian Nation sided with the Americans in the Revolutionary War and was thanked by Congress and President George Washington for its loyalty and assistance. Today, the Nation's enterprises, which employ more than 5,000 people, include Turning Stone Resort Casino, YBR Casino & Sports Book, Point Place Casino, The Lake House at Sylvan Beach, The Cove at Sylvan Beach, Maple Leaf Markets, SāvOn Convenience stores, Verona Collective, a seed-to-sale cannabis operation, RV Park, and marinas. Proceeds from these enterprises are used to rebuild the Nation's economic base and provide essential services, including housing, health care, and education incentives and programs, to its Members.
Media Contacts:
Joel Barkin, Vice President for Strategic Communications and Community Engagement
315.361.8173
Media Contact
Kathleen Shaffer, Oneida Indian Nation, 1 3155698193, [email protected], https://www.oneidaindiannation.com/
SOURCE Oneida Indian Nation
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