Your Voice | Bring back the American Civilization major

As a 2000 graduate of Penn with a major in American Civilization, I applaud Varun Menon’s effort to establish a Native American minor here at Penn (see “Push for a Native American Minor,” Feb. 5). However, I must point out to Varun that his statement that “It’s a shame that the University never offered any field of study about the native people of this country” is not quite correct.

I remember quite well that, as a student with a major in American Civilization, the study of America’s indigenous people was a major part of the curriculum.

I find it a little interesting as a native born and raised Philadelphian that Benjamin Franklin, a Boston transplant, is much more well known as a Philadelphian than our very own Native American, Tamanend of the Lenni-Lenape nation.

Any student of Native American studies who would like to see a beautiful statue of Tamanend need only take a walk down to Front and Market streets in Philly. By the way, I heard about Tamanend in AmCiv. Good luck — I’m with you.

Dan Harrell is a 2000 College graduate and former Palestra custodian.

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