Vermont Humanities

Damian Costello

Man giving a talk in a bike shop
Speakers Bureau

Damian CostelloDamian Costello received his Ph.D. in theological studies from the University of Dayton and specializes in the intersection of Catholic theology, Indigenous spiritual traditions, and colonial history. He is an international expert on the life and legacy of Nicholas Black Elk and the author of ’Black Elk: Colonialism and Lakota Catholicism.”

Costello was born and raised in Vermont and his work is informed by five years of ethnographic work on the Navajo Nation.

Contact Information

  • Phone: (802) 598-6777

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Talks by Damian Costello

Black Elk with his wife and family

That the People May Live: The Life and Legacy of Nicholas Black Elk, Holy Man of the Lakota

This lecture explores the life and legacy of Nicholas Black Elk (1866-1950), the Lakota holy man made famous by the book “Black Elk Speaks.”

Painting of slaves attacking a house during the Stono Rebellion

The Stono Rebellion

The Stono Rebellion has been called the most important slave revolt in North American history. In this lecture, Damian Costello examines the events and the deep African roots of the 1739 uprising in South Carolina.

Vermont Humanities*** June 7, 2019