Brought One Dark Night

In a letter written to a former Shaker, Jemima Mousseau described herself as one of three Menominee children taken in the night and brought to the North Union Shaker Village in Warrensville Township. Her time with the Shakers was brief and documented only in fragments, but it marked a turning point that shaped the rest of her life.

When traced through historical records, Jemima’s story reveals a life of movement, resilience, and adaptation. As an adult, she navigated multiple worlds—Native, Black, and white—at a time when race and identity carried legal, social, and personal consequences. Her life illustrates that identity was not fixed but shaped by family ties, marriage, community, and official records.

By following Jemima beyond North Union, this exhibition expands the story of the Shakers to include the lives they touched only briefly. The experiences of Jemima and her children illuminate both the struggles and triumphs of Indigenous and Black families, showing how survival, belonging, and cultural legacy were carried forward across generations in a rapidly changing America.

Brought One Dark Night is on view at the Shaker Historical Society through August 30, 2026. This exhibit is made possible with support from the citizens of Shaker Heights and residents of Cuyahoga County through a public grant from Cuyahoga Arts & Culture.