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American Indian Research Center
Welcome to the American Indian Research Center (AIRC), located in the Department of Anthropology. Founded in 1998, with the encouragement of the late Thomasina E. Jordan, AIRC’s early mission was to serve the Native community, as well as scholars and students interested in American Indian culture and history. We invite you to explore our archived projects. 
On the 300th anniversary (2023) of the construction of the Brafferton Indian School, W&M President Katherine Rowe acknowledged and highlighted the AIRC for our significant scholarship on the Indian School and our continued research about the histories and legacies of the College’s Indigenous alumni. Drawing on the new scholarship, the Virginia General Assembly issued a Joint Resolution of commendation to the College of William & Mary in 2023.
The Resource Center was renamed the American Indian Research Center in 2025, reflecting our long-standing tradition of academic scholarship and applied work in historical anthropology.
Today, the AIRC at William & Mary is sought after by state, federal, and tribal governments, as well as private institutions, for our expertise in ethnographic, ethnohistorical, and ethnological research. Our work reflects the highest ethical standards and best methodological practices of anthropology, and our department is recognized as a disciplinary leader in civic engagement (i.e., Werowocomoco, Chesapeake Archaeology Lab) and descendant community research (i.e., Institute for Historical Biology).
We thank all our Native partners, the Department of Anthropology, and the college administration for their years of dedicated support. We look forward to many more years of collaboration!
Major site sponsors:
- Anthropology Department
- Negrotto-Sapnar Endowment for Native Studies