The Native American Who Went to London with an Eagle and Came Home with a Lion
What does it mean to live on one side of an ocean and be connected to powerful people and places on the other side? This talk investigates a 1734 voyage by a group of Creeks from Georgia to meet the King of England through the sources that survived as well as those that didn't. Understanding why their headman brought an eagle (plus a bear cub and, possibly, a flying horse) with him and brought home a lion (plus two swans) helps us rethink what Native peoples thought of the British Empire and their place in that world.
This is the Ritchie Distinguished Fellow Lecture and is part of The Huntington Research 2025-2026 "Active in the Archive" lecture series.
Know Before You Go
- A post-lecture reception will take place in front of the lecture hall at the Rose Hills Foundation Garden Court at 7 p.m.
- Doors to the lecture hall will open at 5:30 p.m.
- If you are visiting the gardens during the day and plan to stay for the lecture, please note that all guests must clear the grounds when The Huntington closes at 5 p.m.
Top Image: Tomo Chachi Mico or King of Yamacraw, and Tooanahowi His Nephew, Son to the Mico of Etchitas | National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution; purchased through the Marc Pachter Acquisitions Fund, Jon and Lillian Lovelace