A digital history of solidarity, colonialism, and connection across continents
Eamon De Valera (president of Ireland) shakes hands with members of Ojibwe tribe in Wisconsin during a 1919 tour of the U.S. Source: Getty Images / Hulton Archive
In 1847, during the Great Irish Famine, the Choctaw Nation, who were still recovering from forced removal along the Trail of Tears, sent aid to Ireland. Despite their own hardship, they raised $170 to support famine relief across the Atlantic.
This project explores Irish–Indigenous interactions beyond this moment, examining shared histories of colonialism, migration, memory, and solidarity.
The Choctaw donation represents transnational empathy in the 19th century.
Both Irish and Indigenous peoples experienced imperial control and land loss.
These histories continue through memorials and global connections today.
This history matters because it reframes how we understand both the Irish Famine experience and Indigenous histories as part of a shared global story of survival, displacement, and solidarity rather than isolated national narratives. The 1847 act of aid from the Choctaw Nation to Irish famine victims during the Great Famine is not just a symbolic moment in the past. It has become an active foundation for ongoing relationships, memorial practices, and cultural exchange between Ireland and Indigenous nations today. Remembering this history challenges dominant national stories that often emphasize separation, hierarchy, or competition between peoples. Instead, it highlights how communities facing extreme suffering have historically recognized one another across vast geographic and cultural distances. That recognition continues in present-day memorials, educational programs, and reciprocal visits, where Irish and Indigenous communities honor the legacy of mutual aid and reaffirm its relevance in contemporary struggles.