Mapping Native American Tribes

Presented by Melinda Kashuba, PhD

This presentation looks at the variety of cartographic sources related to Native Americans in the United States. Genealogists interested in tracing ancestry of these five groups will find the vast number of maps created by colonial explorers, governments, academia, commercial publishers, and indigenous people. Maps can be found that cover nearly all phases of Native American history: origins, migration, dispossession of tribal lands, reservations and trusts, military actions, tribal land claims, and self-governance.

Melinda Kashuba is a professional genealogist and owner of Kashuba Research Services, a genealogical and historical research company. Her popular book, Walking with Your Ancestors: A Genealogist’s Guide to Using Maps and Geography, joins a long list of articles in numerous genealogical magazines and other publications. She is a Course Coordinator and faculty member at Institute of Genealogy and Historical Research and faculty member at the Salt Lake Institute of Genealogy.

Her genealogical specialties include 19th century and contemporary genealogical records in California including maps and land records. She holds a PhD in geography from the University of California, Los Angeles and has taught geography for fifteen years at Shasta College.

Melinda is a member of the National Genealogical Society, Association of Professional Genealogists, and the Shasta Historical Society. She served as a Registrar for two local chapters of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution.