MARQUETTE, Mich. (WZMQ) – Sunday marked 350 years since the death of Father Jacques Marquette.
On Monday, the Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center at Northern Michigan University hosted a commemoration to share his legacy. The event focused on Father Marquette’s history from different perspectives, with films and presentations given throughout the day.
These presentations came from numerous Indigenous speakers, NMU professors, and Catholic historians.
Beaumier U.P. Heritage Center Director Dan Truckey says it’s crucial for history to be remembered at all angles.
“History isn’t black and white. It isn’t all positive, it isn’t always heroic, and it isn’t all negative either,” said Truckey. “We wanted to present different perspectives looking at not only Father Marquette, but the Jesuits in general over the region, and the legacy they’ve left behind here.”
Today, Father Marquette’s statue, along with the honorary county and city names, stand as a symbol of his exploration to the area.
For more information from the Beaumier U.P. Heratige Center, visit nmu.edu. The full agenda for the commemoration can be found here.
