"A War for Native Independence" with Dr. Matt Jennings

Join us at the Amelia Island Museum of History for this October installment of our 3rd on 3rd monthly series titled "A War for Native Independence" with Dr. Matt Jennings.

This presentation traces the diverse responses of the Indigenous peoples of the Southeast to the struggle between Great Britain and its mainland colonies in the 1770s and 1780s. Whether Native communities attempted to remain neutral, or actively allied with the British or Americans, the war eventually reshaped the region, and all of its peoples were confronted with a new reality and a new imperial power. Though it will primarily focus on Muskogee experiences, the presentation will also look at the Native South more broadly.

Our guest speaker, Dr. Matt Jennings, is a Professor of History at Middle Georgia State University in Macon, Georgia, specializing in early American history, the history of violence, and Native American studies. An accomplished author, his books include New Worlds of Violence: Cultures and Conquests in the Early American Southeast, Ocmulgee National Monument: A Brief History with Field Notes (with Gordon Johnston), The Flower Hunter and the People: William Bartram in the Native American Southeast, and pictorial histories of Ocmulgee and Macon. Dr. Jennings earned his Ph.D. from the University of Illinois and serves as the president of the Ocmulgee Mounds Association.

Date: Friday, October 16th , 2026

Time: 6pm to 7pm

Location: Amelia Island Museum of History, 233 S. 3rd Street, Fernandina Beach, FL 32034

Cost: Free for members, with a suggested $5 donations for non-members

Seating: On a first-come, first-served basis. This program is wheelchair accessible.


For more information contact Tirik Peterson at: 904-261-7378 x102 or tirik@AmeliaMuseum.org.