Epidemics figure prominently in what we call “Early” American history—a past often animated by the meeting between Africans, Native Americans, and Europeans in the Americas. The idea that diseases such as smallpox, measles, typhus, and influenza decimated Indigenous communities in the Americas is a commonly held one. Like so many of our popular conceptions of Early American history, however, this simple narrative obscures a great deal.

Written by Cameron Shriver. Narration by Nicholas Breyfogle. A text version of this podcast is available at https://origins.osu.edu/connecting-history/covid-smallpox-colonialism-native-american. Audio editing by Laura Seeger. Audio production by Paul Kotheimer, College of Arts & Sciences Academic Technology Services. The Origins' editorial team includes: Editors Nicholas Breyfogle, Steven Conn and David Steigerwald; Managing Editors Cameron Givens, Damarius Johnson, and Brionna Mendoza; Copyeditor Sarah Brady Siff; Article Layout Kristin Osborne; and Video Production Specialist Laura Seeger.

This content is made possible, in part, by Ohio Humanities, a state affiliate of the National Endowment for the Humanities. Any views, findings, conclusions or recommendations expressed in this content do not necessarily represent those of the National Endowment for the Humanities.

We thank the Stanton Foundation for their funding of this and other Origins projects. http://thestantonfoundation.org/