10.7 million acres taken from nearly 250 tribes through over 160 violence-backed land cessions for the benefit of 52 universities. Here's how my alma mater benefited. I take a quick look using the data from landgrabu.org THREAD:
While my alma mater @Reed_College_ is not an #LGU, it is on treaty land taken from the Calapooia [Kalapuya] (@CTGRgov) and the Confederated Bands of Willamette Valley. Those treaty lands were sold for the benefit of LGUs in AL, DE, IL, NC, OR, SC, TX, VA, & WV. 
The United States paid $80 for the 8,035,130 acres taken by this treaty (a rate of 1 cent per ~8,035 acres). In the lead up to the signing of the Kalapuya Treaty of 1855, manifest destiny brought white settlers to Oregon. The settlers regarded the Indigenous people as...
a "nuisance". White settlers "ethnocentrically claimed a 'higher use' for Indian lands." (Spores, 1993). From the same article: "White farmers would neither share valley lands with [N]atives nor see them assimilated into white society." From the below issue
That treaty was signed by Joel Palmer, a white pioneer, and settler of the Oregon Trail who previously served as commissary general of a volunteer militia fighting against the Liksiyu (Cayuse, @1855CTUIR) on behalf of aggressor settlers and miners.
The 5 universities that have benefited most from that sale are @WSUPullman @AuburnU @LSU @Illinois_Alma & @UTKnoxville (Speaking of University of Illinois, cc @arsavium I loved your talk at Reed when I was a sophomore)
Back to my alma mater, @Reed_College_ Here's a record of some disbursements made by Palmer after the above 2 violence-backed treaties were signed. July 31, 1855. The name I'm paying attention to appears twice towards the bottom: William S Ladd, ex-mayor of @CityPortland Portland
Ladd was a booze merchant. I worked as a bartender to support myself while attending Reed just a little bit more than a mile from where Ladd and "the best-dressed bartender in early-day Portland": Simeon Gannett Reed. Here's an excerpt from the Kalapuya Treaty of 1855:
Anyway... Ladd and Reed together would profit on countless ventures made possible by the forced removal of Indigenous people on the land. They made millions off of booze, transportation monopolies. Among their massive wealth was ACRES of land
Among the holdings of the Ladd Estate Co. was the 500-acre Crystal Springs Farm on land taken by the Kalapuya Treaty of 1955. A 40-acre parcel of that farm was designated as the future site of @Reed_College_. Photo from the Reed Digital Collections.
Here's how the history of the college facilities is described on the website. Again, my focus here is the land. If you'll remember, this land was ceded by force of pioneer white settlers including the Reeds and Ladds while Indigenous people were reconcentrated into reservations.
That treaty land didn't just benefit @Reed_College_ though. It helped provide seed money through the Morrill Act to 11 universities. The 5 schools who profited most from this were @OregonState @TAMU @AuburnU @NCState and @virginia_tech
You can read more about the Morrill Act and the reporting and research behind the app that I used to search this data in this INCREDIBLE investigation hcn.org/issues/52.4/in…
I was lucky to be a SMALL part of the Land Grab U team alongside @Tahtone, @Bobby_L33, @kalengoodluck, @mcgeoff, @kathlanpher, @taryncos, @LynnDombek, @saptwit, @MarinaWalkerG, @FundFIJ, @pulitzercenter, @Mapbox, Margaret Pearce, Cody Leff and Marty Two Bulls Jr.
As an archivist, I already know how invaluable this tool will prove for my research. As an Indigenous woman, I was honored and absolutely jazzed to work on a project with other Indigenous journalists. I'm so grateful to and for all of you. Saina må'ase.
I can't wait to see what comes of this project. A fantastic way I see myself engaging with research as a form of ceremony. /END
