Thursday Nights at the Museum is a weekly series where the museum exhibits are open late and you can enjoy pop-up activities, a cash bar, food and more!

This program is presented with the UMSL History Department and the Kathryn M. Buder Center for American Indian Studies.

Attend a screening of We Will Speak (94 minutes), a 2023 documentary from filmmakers Schon Duncan and Michael McDermitt, then stay for a short discussion about the efforts of language activists, and younger generations to save the Cherokee language from the brink of extinction. The Cherokee language is deeply tied to Cherokee identity, yet assimilation efforts by the US government and anti-Indigenous stigmas forced the Tri-Council of Cherokee tribes to declare a state of emergency for the languages in 2019. While there are 430,000 Cherokee citizens in the three federally recognized tribes, it’s estimated that fewer than 2,000 fluent speakers remain—the majority of whom are elderly.

Come back for more! Thursday Nights at the Museum are sometimes the most fun, sometimes the most thought-provoking, and always the most interesting night of your week. The museum exhibits are open late, and you’ll enjoy cash bar and food for purchase, pop-up activities, concerts, lectures, and more.

ASL interpretation is available for programs with two weeks' advance notice. Please email access@mohistory.org to request ASL interpretation or with other accessibility questions.