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South Dakota: Finding the Girl in the Middle (with Marni Sandweiss)

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Manage episode 509985642 series 3570584
Content provided by Crista Cowan | The Barefoot Genealogist. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Crista Cowan | The Barefoot Genealogist or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

When historian Marni Sandweiss discovered an 1868 photograph of six prominent Civil War generals standing around an unnamed Indigenous girl, she couldn't let go of one haunting question: Who was she? In this episode, Princeton University Professor Emerita Martha "Marni" Sandweiss shares how she identified the child as Sophie Mousseau and uncovered a remarkable story of survival, identity, and resilience spanning generations on the Northern Plains. Through meticulous research combining written records, oral histories, and collaboration with Sophie's descendants, Marni reveals how one photograph connects to broader themes of mixed-race identity, territorial boundaries, and the power of naming the unnamed in history. Discover how this truffle-hunting historian transformed an anonymous face into a fully realized person whose story matters—and why every name in your family photographs deserves to be remembered.

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️
🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.
🖼️ Ready to turn your family discoveries into a beautiful conversation piece? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.
♥ Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

  continue reading

Chapters

1. The Unnamed Girl in the Photo (00:00:00)

2. Season Context and Mission (00:02:20)

3. Introducing Historian Marnie Sandweiss (00:03:50)

4. Truffle Hunters vs Parachutists (00:06:25)

5. The Fort Laramie Photograph (00:09:35)

6. How Do You Name the Nameless? (00:12:55)

7. Finding Sophie Mousseau’s Family (00:16:20)

8. Place as Character: Dakota Boundaries (00:18:55)

9. Violence, Consequence, and Origins (00:20:55)

10. Sophie’s Marriages and Loss (00:24:05)

11. Identity, Law, and Lakota Land (00:27:00)

12. Records, Context, and Women’s Stories (00:29:10)

13. Telling Others’ Histories with Care (00:32:00)

14. The Past Isn’t Over: Repatriation (00:35:05)

15. Oral History Meets the Archive (00:38:00)

16. Why Every Name Matters (00:40:00)

82 episodes

Artwork
iconShare
 
Manage episode 509985642 series 3570584
Content provided by Crista Cowan | The Barefoot Genealogist. All podcast content including episodes, graphics, and podcast descriptions are uploaded and provided directly by Crista Cowan | The Barefoot Genealogist or their podcast platform partner. If you believe someone is using your copyrighted work without your permission, you can follow the process outlined here https://player.fm/legal.

When historian Marni Sandweiss discovered an 1868 photograph of six prominent Civil War generals standing around an unnamed Indigenous girl, she couldn't let go of one haunting question: Who was she? In this episode, Princeton University Professor Emerita Martha "Marni" Sandweiss shares how she identified the child as Sophie Mousseau and uncovered a remarkable story of survival, identity, and resilience spanning generations on the Northern Plains. Through meticulous research combining written records, oral histories, and collaboration with Sophie's descendants, Marni reveals how one photograph connects to broader themes of mixed-race identity, territorial boundaries, and the power of naming the unnamed in history. Discover how this truffle-hunting historian transformed an anonymous face into a fully realized person whose story matters—and why every name in your family photographs deserves to be remembered.

〰️ 🌳 🧬 〰️
🎧 Ready to discover more stories that could transform your family connections? Subscribe to 'Stories That Live In Us' wherever you get your podcasts, and leave a review to help other families find their path to deeper connection through family history. Together, we're building a community of families committed to preserving and sharing the stories that matter most.
🖼️ Ready to turn your family discoveries into a beautiful conversation piece? Visit FamilyChartmasters.com to create a family tree chart that will help your family share stories for generations.
♥ Want more family history tips and inspiration? Follow me @CristaCowan on Instagram where I share behind-the-scenes looks at my own family discoveries and practical ways to uncover yours!

  continue reading

Chapters

1. The Unnamed Girl in the Photo (00:00:00)

2. Season Context and Mission (00:02:20)

3. Introducing Historian Marnie Sandweiss (00:03:50)

4. Truffle Hunters vs Parachutists (00:06:25)

5. The Fort Laramie Photograph (00:09:35)

6. How Do You Name the Nameless? (00:12:55)

7. Finding Sophie Mousseau’s Family (00:16:20)

8. Place as Character: Dakota Boundaries (00:18:55)

9. Violence, Consequence, and Origins (00:20:55)

10. Sophie’s Marriages and Loss (00:24:05)

11. Identity, Law, and Lakota Land (00:27:00)

12. Records, Context, and Women’s Stories (00:29:10)

13. Telling Others’ Histories with Care (00:32:00)

14. The Past Isn’t Over: Repatriation (00:35:05)

15. Oral History Meets the Archive (00:38:00)

16. Why Every Name Matters (00:40:00)

82 episodes

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