Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University Welcomes Lenape Nation for Historic Symposium on Treaties

On April 28, 2025, the Elisabeth Haub School of Law at Pace University hosted a landmark symposium entitled “Obligations for Perpetual Peace and Friendship: The Treaties of the Lenape Nation.” The event marked the first time that the treaties between the Lenape and the United States were collected and studied. The Law School is situated in what was the Lenape community of Quaroppas, today White Plains, part of their ancestral homeland, Lenapehoking.

The Lenape were allies of the U.S. in the Revolutionary War against Britain, and their treaty of 1778 is the first treaty between the U.S. and any of the Indian tribes. This historic treaty was only the second treaty ever negotiated by the new nation, the first being with France. The U.S. and Lenape have more than 40 treaties, which is also the longest treaty series of any tribe.

Image

Dean Horace E. Anderson, Jr. opened the event with heartfelt remarks recognizing the importance of the occasion. “Today is a historic moment,” he said. “We are honored to welcome the Lenape Nation to Haub Law for this research collaboration. This gathering is one rooted in friendship, guided by history, and committed to justice. Though the federal government has not always honored its promises under the Treaties, the Lenape Nation has remarkably sustained its commitment to friendship across generations.

The symposium was the groundbreaking work of nine Haub Law students, who shared their research findings with the professors, lawyers, students and Lenape elders in attendance. Under the guidance of Professor Nicholas A. Robinson, the students compiled together in one place, for the first time, the treaties involving the Lenape. The research project was the focus of a seminar during Spring 2025 semester.

“Through this work, we’ve attempted to shine a light on a strong and honorable tradition of not just historic importance, but present importance, for building helpful and positive relations in recognizing the obligations for perpetual peace and friendship on both sides,” said Professor Robinson.

During the event, the Compendium of Lenape Treaties was formally presented to the Lenape Center, and copies have been sent to each of the six recognized Lenape tribes, two in Oklahoma and one in Wisconsin, and three in Ontario, Canada. The treaties and compendium were also presented to the Pace Law Library, where they will be preserved as part of the school’s historical archives and serve as a vital resource for future research and scholarship.

The Elisabeth Haub School of Law is the first to teach a dedicated seminar on the legal history of the forced expulsion of the Lenape from their homelands. The Law School hopes to share its research with other institutions in the Lenape ancestral lands, in an effort to build a foundation that recognizes and learns from Lenape heritage and history.