Biography

Headshot of Tyler Taylor

Tyler Taylor is the Vice President of Collections, Curation, Conservation, and Archaeology at the Alamo. She holds a PhD in American Studies from the College of William & Mary with an emphasis on American Indian Studies and 19th- and 20th-century U.S. cultural history. Tyler’s work deals with Indigenous histories of the American West and transnational studies, and has been generously supported by the Smithsonian Institution and the Minnesota Historical Society. She combines her academic expertise with experience in exhibit and program development, museum education, and community engagement to forge connections between museum collections and the communities they represent.

Born and raised in San Antonio, Tyler is dedicated to museum work that gives back to her hometown.

Experience

Gale Scholar, Minnesota Historical Society (2019-2021): Tyler developed online and gallery exhibits and also conducted research in support of programming initiatives across a statewide network of 31 historic sites and museums.

Instructor, Middlebury College and the College of William & Mary (2014-2018): Instructor and TA for courses on American Indian studies, U.S. social history, film studies, and American military history.

Graduate Assistant, Mariner’s Museum Library (2015-2016): Conducted research, updated collections records, and digitized maps in the largest maritime history collection in the Western Hemisphere

Selected Publications and Presentations

“Newspaper snapshot: The Tomahawk (Ojibwe).” Minnesota History 67, no. 3 (Fall 2020): 103.

“Book Review: The Dakota Sioux Experience at Flandreau and Pipestone Indian Schools by Cynthia Leanne Landrum.” Minnesota History 67, no. 1 (Spring 2020): 45.

“Book Review: Dakota in Exile: The Untold Stories of Captives in the Aftermath of the US-Dakota War by Linda M. Clemmons.” Minnesota History 66, no. 8 (Winter 2019): 355.

Recurring contributor, MNopedia.org

Recurring Guest, Ramsey County Historical Society Podcasts, March of the Governors series (2022-2023)

“Beyond US Borders: Settler Colonialism and Native Americans in Italy,” Native American and Indigenous Studies Association Annual Meeting (2018)

“American Empire in Italy: Italian Reactions to Buffalo Bill’s Wild West Show,” Southern American Studies Association Biennial Conference (2017)

“Native History as Told by Hollywood: Ethan Hawke’s Indeh and Entertaining with Native History,” Mid-Atlantic Popular and American Culture Association Annual Conference (2016)

Professional Qualifications

PhD, American Studies, College of William & Mary

Professional Memberships

Provost Dissertation Fellowship, College of William & Mary (2018-2019)

Smithsonian Baird Society Resident Scholar Program (2018)