We are all Americans

On September 15, Americans officially opens its tour of Alabama with a reception in Atmore. The Alabama Humanities Alliance is bringing this Smithsonian traveling exhibit to the state as part of AHA’s America at 250 commemorations.

Developed by the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian, Americans is a fascinating and thought-provoking exploration of how deeply intertwined Native Americans are in the history, popular culture, and identity of the United States. The exhibit also challenges viewers to consider anew four of the best-known Native stories that intersect with U.S. history: Thanksgiving, Pocahontas, the Trail of Tears, and the Battle of Little Bighorn.

“The questions that Americans poses and the topics that it encourages us to discuss seem made for this period of reflection during the nation’s 250th anniversary,” says Laura Anderson, AHA’s director of partnerships and outcomes. “AHA encourages re-examination of stories and history, and Americans is designed to do just that. This exhibit helps visitors grapple with and find new ways of seeing American Indian history within the American story and contemporary Native communities here today.”

Through June of 2027, Americans will travel from Atmore to Wetumpka, Florence, Scottsboro, and Foley, all places rich in Native history, culture, and the contemporary presence of local tribes. Host partners in each community will complement the exhibit’s national perspective, with local talks, displays, artwork, and other programming that highlights the history and present-day impact of Alabama’s indigenous communities.

Sharon Fox is a genealogist and vice president of the Elmore County Historical Society. She is also the museum curator for the Elmore County Museum, which will host Americans during its stop in Wetumpka. Like her fellow hosts, Fox has been busy lining up locally focused programming to pair with the exhibit — local history displays at the Wetumka Public Library, Alabama Frontier Days at Fort Toulouse-Fort Jackson, and presentations by authors, historians, and tribal members.

“As a small museum, we spend a lot of time sharing local history,” Fox says. “It’s exciting that this exhibit connects our local stories to America’s story as a whole. I hope visitors will leave thinking about how the people and places right here in Elmore County fit into our nation’s story. I hope they leave seeing Elmore County with fresh eyes and go home to research more about what they’ve learned.”

Local programming

Among the many programs of note already scheduled during the Americans tour:

• September 14 public program in Atmore featuring Americans project scholar Philip Carr, Ph.D., an archaeologist and professor at the University of South Alabama.
• “The Creek War and its Lasting Impact,” a presentation in Wetumpka by Matthew R. Grey, tribal liaison at Horseshoe Bend National Military Park.
• Presentations on the Indian Removal Act and the Trail of Tears, led by several university scholars, in Florence.
• Community field trip to the hand-built Wichahpi Commemorative Stone Wall (Tom’s Wall) along the Natchez Trace Parkway.
• Screenings of The Forgotten Creeks in Atmore and Foley, a documentary produced by Jacksonville State University and Alabama Public Television.

Americans’ tour of Alabama is made possible through a longtime partnership between AHA and the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street, and thanks to the presenting sponsorship of the Poarch Band of Creek Indians.

Americans marks the 13th national exhibit AHA has brought to Alabama over the past 30 years, through a partnership with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service’s Museum on Main Street. These exhibits have invited Alabamians to share their stories about how our own communities have been shaped by food, sports, water, innovation, music, migration, and more.

For further info on Americans, check out the following resources:

• Americans website
• Americans exhibit tour guide

Americans tour dates:

Atmore | Encore at the Strand
September 16 – November 4, 2026

Wetumpka | Elmore County Museum
November 16 – December 18, 2026

Florence | Florence-Lauderdale Public Library
January 11 – February 22, 2027

Scottsboro | Scottsboro-Jackson Heritage Center
March 4 – April 22, 2027

Foley | OWA Parks & Resort
April 30 – June 25, 2027

About AHA and the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street
The Alabama Humanities Alliance brings Smithsonian traveling exhibits to the state thanks to a partnership with the Smithsonian Institution Traveling Exhibition Service’s Museum on Main Street. The program provides access to the Smithsonian for small-town America through traveling museum exhibitions, research, educational resources, and public programming. Since 1997, the Alabama Humanities Alliance has partnered with the Smithsonian’s Museum on Main Street to bring 13 national exhibits to Alabama — and to 75 communities across the state.