#6 Heart of America: A Journey Fourth

July 3–4, 2004
Atchison & Ft. Leavenworth (and White Cloud), Kansas; and Kansas City (and Fort Osage), Missouri

Hosted in July 2004 by Kansas City and Fort Osage, Missouri, Atchison, Leavenworth and White Cloud, Kansas, this event commemorated the 200th anniversary of the first Independence Day celebration held west of the Mississippi.

The event featured substantial involvement by Lower Missouri Tribes returning to their ancestral homelands.

Tribal programming includes:

Restoration of Kaw Point: Historical Kansas Tribes and students from Haskell Indian Nations University participate in site clean up and restoration, trail enhancement, signage, interpretation and visitor support services to ready historical Lewis & Clark site for the bicentennial.

Opening Ceremony: Colors are posted by WE-TA-SE, American Legion Post 410, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. A procession of 29 Tribal flags are posted and flown at each host city.

Tribal Flag Sets: The Shawnee Tribe, Absentee Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma and the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska add their flags to the growing collection of Tribal nation flags. Three sets of 29 Tribal flags are flown
at the cities of Atchison, Kansas City and Leavenworth, Kansas, during
the event.

WE-TA-SE, American Legion Post 410, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation: Posts the colors at the event’s kick off news conference in March; the Lewis & Clark Postal Stamp Dedication in May; Fort Osage Interpretive Center and Kaw Point dedication in June; Tribal Flag Ceremony, Signature Event Flag Parade and Closing Ceremony in July.
Tribal Nations Returning to Ancestral Homelands: Kaw Nation of Oklahoma, Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, Osage Nation of Oklahoma, Kickapoo Tribe in Kansas, Kickapoo Nation of Oklahoma, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Citizen Potawatomi Nation, Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma and the Sac and Fox Nation of Missouri, as well as the Shawnee Tribe and Absentee Tribe of Oklahoma, who once also lived in Kansas and Missouri.

Haskell Indian Nations University: Student forums and articles.

Lakota Flute, Storytelling and Dance: Kevin Locke (Lakota).

Pawnee Star Show: Leavenworth, Kansas.

Tribal Scholars & Presenters: From Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, Ponca/Omaha Nation, Kickapoo Nation, Pawnee Nation.

Native Views: Influences of Modern Culture: Artrain USA exhibition.

Kansas Native Cultures Subcommittee: Technical assistance and guidance.

Corps of Discovery II: 200 Years to the Future.

Photo Gallery

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