In this conversation with historian Rachel Whitaker of the Shiloh Museum of Ozark History, we trace the early formation of Northwest Arkansas through the lens of power, policy, and people. Rachel offers an expansive look at how settler colonial decisions—such as the displacement of Native nations, the introduction of slavery, and the establishment of counties like Washington and Benton—shaped the region’s economic and political structures.
We uncover the story of influential white families like the Walkers, Peels, Dinsmores, and Andersons while also recovering the often-erased presence of Black Arkansans and Indigenous people in the region. This episode offers a vital reconsideration of the narratives we've inherited, challenges the inevitability of progress, and underscores the importance of current historical preservation efforts, including the historic district in Southeast Fayetteville.
https://www.theunderview.com/episodes/the-underview-early-counties-rachel-whitaker-shiloh-museum
About the underview:
The underview is an exploration of the development of our Communal Theology of Place viewed through the medium of bikes, land, and people to discover community wholeness.
Website: theunderview.com
Follow us on Instagram: @underviewthe
Host: @mikerusch
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