In 1529, Ocelo, the cacique of Guazama (Province of Nicaragua), accused the encomendero Rodrigo Núñez of abducting, branding, and enslaving Indigenous men, women, and children. Explore this remarkable legal proceeding in the Native Bound Unbound Archives: nativeboundunbound.org/archives/bb6...

Read our newest article "A Sacred Trust: Recovering María Gertrudis Torres" by team member and researcher Daria Landress nativeboundunbound.org/stories/view...

Listen to Dr. J Michael Francis, Hough Family Chair of Florida Studies Professor of History at University of South Florida, speak about his work uncovering the story of Catalina, the daughter of an American Indian in Spain in 1502. See stories like Catalina's at: nativeboundunbound.org/archives/

180 years ago today, Commodore Sloat's proclamation was announced in Monterey Bay, California which claimed the state for the USA and profoundly altered the relationship between colonists and California tribes.

This July 4, help us recover history. Every gift will be matched up to $25,000 thanks to a generous donor. Support Hidden: Recovering and Reconnecting: givebutter.com/hidden-recovering-and-reconnecting-56bynr And read Dr. Estevan Rael-Gálvez’s article: elpalacio.org/2026/06/reckoning-with-1776/

Summer history book recommendation, Apache Diaspora by Paul Conrad. Paul Conrad dives into language, exonyms, and the use of the word “Apache” in archival documents in the historiography of Apache diaspora across four centuries.

Summer history book recommendation, The Other Slavery by Andrés Reséndez. California under US rule accelerated the enslavement, detainment, and dispossession of American Indians throughout California territory. For more books visit our bibliography page at Native Bound Unbound.

Read an article by our executive director, Dr. Rael-Galvez, discussing 1776 and it's relation to New Mexico history and indigenous enslavement at elpalacio.org/2026/06/reck... or by following the link in our bio.

Here is a short video summarizing the incredible speech that was given by Camila Carreon, an NBU researcher and intern, who spoke powerfully about what the project means to her at our launch last November.

𝐂𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐮𝐫 𝐓𝐞𝐚𝐦 – 𝐉𝐮𝐛𝐢 𝐎𝐥𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐩𝐨 Jubi Oladipo first connected with us by reaching out to ask how she could help with the work. A student at Harvard College studying History and African American Studies, her research explores the intersections of African American and Native American histories.

nativeboundunbound.org/stories/view... There is something about a broom that feels subtly resonant of slavery. Across time and many landscapes, it appears as a simple household tool, made by gathering grasses or shrubs and binding them into a bundle.

Antoine, 10 years old at death, a "panis child belonging to Joseph Carignan" in Batiscan, Quebec. Native Bound Unbound is committed to recovering as much information as possible about each individual. You can visit Antoine's page at nativeboundunbound.org/people/7450d... to learn more.

givebutter.com/hidden-recov... President Elizabeth Alexander recently shared inspiring words about NBU. Foundational support from the Mellon Foundation was instrumental in catalyzing the project, but we need help moving forward to continue our work! Please click the link above to learn more.

The New Yorker recently published “The Hidden History of Native American Enslavement.” At Native Bound Unbound, we are working to recover and reconnect the lives behind this history. Support the work: givebutter.com/hidden-recov... #IndigenousHistory #PublicHistory

Want to help with the project? You can give us feedback about the website! Follow the link in our bio or click on the address below to access our site survey: forms.gle/uFxYYU2Y1Vbt...

Indigenous slavery, which lasted for centuries, has gone by many names. A new public history project wants us to see it for what it was. newyorkermag.visitlink.me/6enUA-

The Hidden History of Native American Enslavement

Indigenous slavery, which lasted for centuries, has gone by many names. A new public history project wants us to see it for what it was.

newyorkermag.visitlink.me

We are incredibly thankful to @newyorker.com and @geraldo-cadava.bsky.social for highlighting not just our project but the history of Indigenous slavery. Read more at www.newyorker.com/books/page-t... or by following the link in our bio.

Did you see our new maps of the Puerto de Santo Domingo? There is a new "Story" on the site that places these in the context of our project and gives more detail about the human trafficking and enslavement that occurred. View it at nativeboundunbound.org/stories/view...

We have added a new StoryCorps featuring Dr. Deborah Trujillo Terracino and her cousin Leonard. They talk about their ancestors Juan Estevan Trujillo and his son Lorenzo Trujillo from Abiquiú, New Mexico. Check it out on our website at nativeboundunbound.org/stories/view...

Were you aware that Indigenous peoples from the Americas were enslaved and shipped across the Atlantic to places like Scotland and England?

Treuer examines how Native identity in the United States has been shaped by law, policy, and the legacy of settler colonialism, producing the terms through which being and belonging have been recognized, denied, or challenged.

The Atlantic@theatlantic.com · 7mo ago

Who gets to be Indian—and who decides? David Treuer on the very American story of Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance:

Just days after the winter solstice, we stand at the threshold of a new year. As the light slowly returns, this season has long been a time for storytelling. As we reflect on the recent premiere of Native Bound Unbound and the work ahead, gratitude is at the center of our thoughts.

There is still time to help us reach our year end goal for fundraising! Please help us recover the names and histories of those Indigenous enslaved individuals still waiting in the pages of the archives and the whispers of their stories. givebutter.com/jaV6NO

December 21, 2025, marked the ninety-nine-year anniversary of the day that Francisco Valdez crossed over and became an Ancestor. His burial followed on December 23.

Please help us reach our year end fundraising goal by visiting givebutter.com/jaV6NO

Year-End Support for Native Bound Unbound

Celebrating our premiere and supporting long-term sustainability as a 501(c)(3)

givebutter.com

The Native Bound Unbound site has launched. Your support helps us recover the histories of Indigenous slavery and strengthens the teams and partnerships behind this effort. As a new 501(c)(3), we invite you to visit www.nativeboundunbound.org/donations and consider supporting this work.

Thousands of documents are moving through our workflow: locating, digitizing, transcribing, translating, & encoding before they appear on the site. If you’re searching for something specific, more is on the way. Come back and join us in this ongoing work of recovery. www.nativeboundunbound.org

This morning our executive director Dr. Estevan Rael-Galvez, along with Dr. Philip J. Deloria and Theresa Pasqual of Acoma Pueblo, will join Native America Calling to talk more about the launch of our project and future initiatives. Please listen at www.nativeamericacalling.com/wednesday-no...

Honoring our collaborators @performant.bsky.social, whose rigor and skill helped make Native Bound Unbound possible. They built a platform that connects people, stories, and places across time—a living archive built with care, precision, and imagination. #NativeBoundUnbound #DigitalHumanities

We invite you to explore Native Bound Unbound: Archive of Indigenous Slavery, a living digital platform connecting people, places, events, and stories across the Americas. Take a moment to explore, learn, and return often as the archive continues to grow. 👉 www.nativeboundunbound.org