Stealing America: An Author Talk & Panel Discussion with Linford D. Fisher

Join Gilcrease for an evening with historian and author Linford D. Fisher, professor of history at Brown University, for a conversation about his groundbreaking new book, “Stealing America: The Hidden Story of Indigenous Slavery in U.S. History.”

Presented as part of Gilcrease’s America 250 programming, this 90-minute program explores the overlooked history of Indigenous enslavement in the United States and its implications for how we understand American history.

In “Stealing America,” Fisher documents the enslavement of nearly 600,000 Native Americans in North America, tracing this history across different regions and periods from the years following 1492 through the centuries that followed. His research challenges conventional narratives about slavery and highlights the intertwined histories of colonialism, Indigenous experiences and American identity.

The conversation invites audiences to consider whose stories have shaped our understanding of the nation’s past—and whose stories have been overlooked. Guests are encouraged to explore the America 250 exhibition in the Helmerich Center for American Research before or after the program.

“Stealing America: The Hidden Story of Indigenous Slavery in U.S. History” was published by Liveright in 2026.