William Acres

William Acres is an Assistant Professor in the Department of History at the University of Western Ontario, part of the Faculty of Arts and Humanities. He holds a PhD from the University of Cambridge (1992) and is a Fellow of the Royal Historical Society (FRHistS). His research focuses on colonial history with particular emphasis on Indigenous-European interactions, missionary activities, and archival preservation. Current projects include studies on the New England Company’s Grand River Mission and the historiography of John Strype.

Education

• PhD in History, University of Cambridge, 1992

Research Interests

• Colonial governance structures and their impacts on Indigenous communities
• Archival preservation of marginalized histories
• Role of religious institutions in shaping colonial policies
• Decolonial approaches to historical documentation

His work bridges historical analysis with community engagement, including collaborations with Haudenosaunee scholars to digitize and contextualize materials from the Mohawk Institute archives. Recent publications address missionary networks, Indigenous resistance strategies, and ethical considerations in historical research.

Grants & Collaborations

• Library and Archives Canada grant (2023-2024) for Haudenosaunee-led cataloguing of Diocese of Huron archives
• Library and Archives Canada grant (2024-2025) for digitizing Mohawk Institute materials
• Collaboration with Archivist Dez Necario to ensure Indigenous access to historical records

Labs/Teams

Acres works closely with the Woodland Cultural Center (Six Nations, Ontario) and the Diocese of Huron Archives to co-curate historical materials with Indigenous communities, emphasizing survivor-centered narratives.