Better Museum Practices: Stewardship and Accountability with Kevin Gover
Event description
- Open to the public
Join us for a lecture with Kevin Gover as he explores the profound impact of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA) and museum repatriation efforts across the U.S. and beyond. Gover will highlight the Smithsonian Institution’s innovative policy on Shared Stewardship and Ethical Returns, which marks a significant shift in the relationship between museums and Indigenous Nations and Peoples. This approach represents a transformative step in recognizing and protecting the sovereignty of these communities over their history and culture. Don't miss this insightful discussion on evolving museum practices!
Lunch provided!
About Kevin Gover:
Kevin attended Princeton University, receiving his bachelor’s degree in public and international affairs from the Woodrow Wilson School at Princeton University in 1978. He then attended the University of New Mexico College of Law and received his juris doctor degree in 1981.
Following law school, Kevin established a small Native American-owned law firm that specialized in federal Indian law. Gover, Stetson, Williams & West, P.C. grew into the largest Indian-owned law firm in the country and represented tribes and tribal agencies in a dozen states.
In 1997, Kevin was nominated by President Clinton to serve as the Assistant Secretary for Indian Affairs in the United States Department of the Interior. As the senior executive of the Bureau of Indian Affairs, he won praise for his efforts to rebuild long-neglected Indian schools and expand tribal and BIA police forces throughout the country.
In 2003, he joined the faculty at the Sandra Day O’Connor College of Law at Arizona State University and served on the faculty of the university’s Indian Legal Program, one of the largest such programs in the country.
Kevin was Director of the National Museum of the American Indian from 2007 - 2021. He became Under Secretary for Museums and Culture in 2021.