On Thurs., Aug. 6, the UCR Library’s new series Faculty Profiles in Research, Art and Innovation will welcome Clifford E. Trafzer, Distinguished Professor of History and Rupert Costo Chair in American Indian Affairs.

During his presentation, Fighting Invisible Enemies Among Southern California Indians 1900-1950, Trafzer will discuss how Southern California Indian communities combined Western and Native medicine in fighting infectious disease. He will also answer questions submitted by viewers at least 48 hours before the broadcast.

“COVID-19 presents the same challenges known in the 1930s-1940s,” Trafzer explained. “But politicians who have no knowledge of fighting invisible enemies are presently determining the national course of action to deal with COVID-19, which has disproportionately caused death among communities of color.”

Fighting Invisible Enemies traces this transition among inhabitants of the Mission Indian Agency of Southern California from the late nineteenth century through the mid-twentieth century. Between 1922 and 1948, Southern California Indian Service doctors and nurses fought the dreaded mycobacterium tuberculosis by testing, tracking, tracing, and isolating which lowered the number of cases and deaths.

All members of the UC Riverside community and surrounding areas are welcome and encouraged to attend this event, which is the second installment of the Faculty Profiles in Research, Art & Innovation series.

Please RSVP in order to receive the link to join the livestream broadcast from 4:30 - 5:30 p.m. Pacific Time on Aug. 6.

Up next in the series:

• Fall quarter - Oct. 8: Stu Krieger, Professor of screen and television writing in UCR’s Department of Theatre, Film & Digital Production

More dates for the series will be announced soon.