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The Native American Who Went to London with an Eagle and Came Home with a Lion

Event
A black and white print of a native American man standing with one hand on his hip and one holding a club-like object. He is wearing a cape and facing forward

Wed., March 18, 2026, 6–7 p.m.

Free with reservation

Rothenberg Hall

Reserve
Join Joshua Piker, professor of history at William & Mary, Omohundro Institute’s Scholarly Communities Coordinator, and the Ritchie Distinguished Fellow in Early American History, for a lecture on Native American history.
Lectures

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: Verelst, John; Simon, Jean. “Etow Oh Koam, King of the River Nation” c. 1755, American Indian Print Collection. | The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens.