Michael Witgen

Michael Witgen is a Professor in the Department of History and affiliated with the Center for the Study of Ethnicity and Race at Columbia University. A citizen of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, his research focuses on Indigenous and Early American history, particularly the Great Lakes and Upper Mississippi Valley. His work examines colonialism, land rights, and the political economy of expansion.

• Research Areas: Indigenous History, Colonialism, Great Lakes Region, Land Dispossession

Scientific Awards:

• Finalist for the 2023 Pulitzer Prize in History
• James A. Rawley Prize (Organization of American Historians)
• Caughey Prize (Western History Association)
• State History Prize (Historical Society of Michigan)

Currently on leave for Fall 2025.