Before Ohio became a state in 1803, the so-called Ohio Country was home to Shawnee, Miami, Wyandotte, and other Native American tribes.
But after decades of broken treaties and deadly conflicts with settlers, colonists, and traders, these native peoples and their governments were forcibly removed from the region. They were pushed west by the fledgling U.S. government so their homelands could be sold and settled.
In an effort to tell a more complete history of the indigenous people of Ohio, the Eichelberger Center for Community Voices at WYSO has launched “The Ohio Country,” a new 12-part podcast.
The podcast chronicles the history of the region’s tribes, but also the misconceptions that exist today. It digs deep into how Native American culture is taught in schools, and how some tribal members alive today are reconnecting with their past.
On Monday’s “Sound of Ideas,” we’ll talk to some of the individuals behind “The Ohio Country” and learn what it was like to put that series together.
To start the hour, we’ll get an update from a FirstEnergy spokesperson about the power outages stemming from last Tuesday’s storms. Initially more than 300,000 Northeast Ohioans were without power. We'll learn more about the work being done to restore power to the entire region.
Finally, a conversation with humorist and author Mo Rocca. He’s a popular “Wait, Wait… Don’t Tell Me” panelist and a frequent contributor to the CBS Sunday Morning show.
His new book “Roctogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs” is about people who have achieved various levels of success and notoriety late in life, and is out now.
Guests:
- Hannah Catlett, Spokesperson, FirstEnergy
- Chris Welter, Managing Editor, Eichelberger Center for Community Voices, WYSO
- John Bickers, Ph.D., Assistant Professor, Case Western Reserve University; Cultural Advisor, "The Ohio Country"
- Mo Rocca, Humorist and Author, "Roctogenarians: Late in Life Debuts, Comebacks, and Triumphs"
- Drew Maziasz, Coordinating Producer, Ideastream Public Media
