Colonel Joseph Louis Cook was the highest commissioned officer of Native and African descent in the Continental Army. Born of an Abenaki mother and Black father in Saratoga (Schuylerville) circa 1740 and adopted by the Kahnawake Mohawks, he fought at Oriskany and Saratoga and joined the Oneidas in their support of Washington at Valley Forge. Known for his powerful voice, Colonel Cook loved to sing French opera. After settling in Akwesasne, he joined the American side in the War of 1812 and died during the 1814 Battle of Lundy’s Lane at the age of 74.

Storyteller and author Joseph (Joe) Bruchac of Greenfield Center, N.Y., will present this compelling program on the life of Colonel Cook. Joe’s poems, articles and stories have appeared in over 500 publications, and he is the author of more than 170 books for adults and children. Much of his writing is drawn from his connection to the Adirondack mountain foothills town where he grew up and his Abenaki ancestry.