Host Will Rose speaks with historian and author Liza Black about her new book, How Settlers Get Away with Murder. A citizen of the Cherokee Nation and an associate professor at Indiana University, Black examines violence against Native people and the institutions that fail their families. Drawing on archival research and oral histories, she traces what she describes as a second wave of violence: the coverups, missing records, and official obstruction that can follow a killing or disappearance.
Their conversation explores how laws have undermined tribal authority, how courthouses became instruments of land theft, and why Black challenges true crime’s reliance on police accounts. She also reflects on the frustrations of researching records controlled by the institutions she is investigating—and what those barriers mean for families seeking answers. Throughout, Black discusses her commitment to writing history that centers Native voices and takes families’ knowledge seriously.
Additional Info and/or Links:
- For more information about Liza Black you can visit: https://history.indiana.edu/faculty_staff/faculty/black_liza.html
Originally aired on October 18, 2026
