January Program: Dr. Richard Hanks

In Southern California and the entire United States all human history begins with Native Americans.   Rarely do local historical societies touch on the subject of California Indians because not much was written by the original occupants.  Newspapers usually only report crimes and other problems related to the Indians or give information gleaned entirely from military sources.   Archeology and anthropology have made some progress into the local culture recently.   Since the 1970’s ethnic study departments were created at the university level to research and fill in the gaps on Native Americans.  Just in Southern California the Serrano, Cahuilla, Gabrielano, Mojave, Piute, Chumash, and Chemehuevis represented some of the tribes living here.

The Redlands Area Historical Society program for January is titled, “The Sovereignty, Self Determination and Survival of Southern California Indians.” We have an expert in the field, the previous archivist for the Heritage Room.  Dr. Richard A. Hanks, our speaker, completed his PhD in Native American History in 2004 from U.C. Riverside.   His dissertation led him into the rich history of Native Americans of Southern California.  In 2000, Hanks published “The Vicissitudes of Justice: Massacre in San Timoteo Canyon” in the Southern California Quarterly. 

Dr. Hanks was born and raised in Beardstown, Illinois, just outside Springfield where Abe Lincoln labored, practiced law and became a politician.  And yes, “Hanks” is related to the mother of Abraham Lincoln.  He has two published articles on Lincoln published by the Lincoln Herald of Harrogate, Tennessee: “Lincoln and the Politics of Nepotism” (Fall 1994), and “The Bonds of Affection: Abraham Lincoln’s Search for His Ancestry” (Fall 1997).  

Dr. Hanks is a graduate of Riverside Poly High School.  He is a past recipient of the Chancellor’s Award for creating his own degree in communications at UC Riverside.  Hanks garnered fifteen years experience as a journalist for newspapers, radio and television.  He received his M.A. in History from U.C.R.’s program for Historic Resources Management in 1998.  He then worked for the Riverside Local History Resource Center as Project Manager.  Redlands (a.k.a. Smiley Library) scooped him up as an archivist for the Lincoln Shrine in October 2000. 

His presentation promises insights few of us Redlanders have heard and certainly ever read.   The program is scheduled for 7:00 p.m, January 28^th, A.K. Smiley Library, Contemporary Club. 

The HistoricalSociety’s meetings are free and open to the public. Dr. Hanks now lives in Camano Island, Washington so the program will be via zoom. Those wishing to view the program via zoom can do so by visiting www.rahs.org/calendar. For further information call the Historical Society at (909) 307-4661.

[Photo credit: San Manuel Band of Mission Indians]