PRESS RELEASE: Launch of The Domination Translator Series - A Comprehensive Analysis of U.S. Supreme Court Rulings and the Doctrine of Discovery

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

The Doctrine of Discovery Project Launches The Domination Translator Series

A 15-Part Extended Essay Analyzing How U.S. Courts Have Applied the Doctrine of Discovery

Syracuse, New York — January 19, 2026 — The Doctrine of Discovery Project is pleased to announce the launch of The Domination Translator Series by Steven T. Newcomb, a comprehensive 15-part extended essay examining the historical and ongoing impact of the Doctrine of Discovery on United States legal jurisprudence.

About The Domination Translator Series

The Domination Translator Series provides an in-depth analysis of how the Doctrine of Discovery—a medieval principle of Christian supremacy used to justify European colonization—has shaped American law from the founding of the republic to the present day. Through detailed examination of landmark Supreme Court cases, presidential doctrines, and legal precedents, the series demonstrates how this doctrine continues to underpin federal Indian law and property rights.

Series Overview

The 15-part series begins with an introduction and proceeds chronologically through key legal decisions:

1. Introduction: The Domination Translator Series — An overview of the series and its methodology

2. Fletcher v. Peck (1810) — The first Supreme Court case to reference the Doctrine of Discovery

3. The Marshall Trilogy: Johnson v. McIntosh (1823) — Chief Justice John Marshall’s foundational ruling establishing discovery doctrine as U.S. law

4. The Marshall Trilogy: Cherokee Nation v. Georgia (1831) — Defining indigenous nations as “domestic dependent nations”

5. The Marshall Trilogy: Worcester v. Georgia (1832) — Affirming tribal sovereignty while maintaining discovery doctrine supremacy

6. The Monroe Doctrine (1823) — Extending discovery principles to hemispheric policy

7. Martin v. Waddell (1842) — Applying discovery doctrine to property rights and tidelands

8. President “Teddy” Roosevelt’s Monroe Doctrine Corollary — The expansion of imperial authority based on discovery principles

9. Tee Hit Ton Indians v. United States (1955) — Denying aboriginal title under discovery doctrine

10. White v. University of California (9th Circuit, 2014) — Modern application of discovery doctrine in higher education policy

11. The Haudenosaunee Cases: Cayuga Indian Nation v. Pataki (2005) — Examining discovery doctrine in contemporary land claims

12. The Haudenosaunee Cases: Oneida Indian Nation v. County of Oneida (2010) — Persistent barriers to indigenous sovereignty rooted in discovery doctrine

13. The Haudenosaunee Cases: Onondaga Nation v. New York (2012) — Environmental justice and the limits of discovery-based law

14. McGirt v. Oklahoma (2020) — A landmark decision recognizing the Creek Nation’s reservation despite discovery doctrine precedent

15. U.S. v. King Mountain Tobacco Co., Inc. (9th Circuit, 2012) — Tribal sovereignty and the limits of federal authority

Significance

This series makes a critical contribution to understanding how the Doctrine of Discovery—initially a tool of medieval European colonization—became embedded in American constitutional law and continues to affect indigenous peoples and their rights today. By tracing these cases from 1810 to the present, the analysis reveals both the persistence of discovery doctrine and emerging legal challenges to its legitimacy.

Comprehensive Legal Citation Resources

Each post in the series includes a Cases section with hyperlinks to full case texts via Cornell Law School, Oyez.org, or Justia. Citation files for each article by Newcomb are provided in RIS and CSL-JSON formats are available for import into Zotero, Mendeley, Pandoc, and other citation management systems.

Access the Series

All posts are available at doctrineofdiscovery.org/blog/domination/ and are indexed in the Law section of the website, alongside related scholarly articles, amicus briefs, and policy statements.

Funding

Thank you to the Henry Luce Foundation for funding in part the creation of this important series.

A Note of Thanks to Steven T. Newcomb

We wish to express our deep gratitude to Steven T. Newcomb for his scholarship, advocacy, and vision in creating [The Domination Translator Series](/blog/domination/domination-translator-series-introduction/. His groundbreaking work documenting and analyzing how the Doctrine of Discovery has shaped American law and policy continues to advance our understanding of the deep historical roots of indigenous dispossession and the ongoing struggle for indigenous sovereignty and rights. Please consider purchasing Pagans in the Promised Land and/or The Doctrineof Discovery: Umasking the Domination Code film

Steven T. Newcomb’s scholarly work and public engagement can be found through:

• Domination Chronicles Podcast — Audio essays and discussions exploring the Doctrine of Discovery and related topics
• Steven Newcomb Substack — Regular commentary and analysis on indigenous issues and law
• Indigenous Law Institute — Research and educational resources on indigenous legal traditions and sovereignty
• Original Free Nations — Exploration of indigenous governance and the original principles of free nations
• Desecrating the Sacred — Documentary film examining the Doctrine of Discovery’s impact
• Steven Newcomb’s Website — Professional portfolio and publications

About the Doctrine of Discovery Initiative

The Doctrine of Discovery Initiative is an educational project created and supported by the Indigenous Values Initiative dedicated to researching, documenting, and disseminating information about the Doctrine of Discovery and its impact on indigenous peoples, religious institutions, and public policy. The Initiative works to promote the repudiation of the Doctrine of Discovery and to advance reconciliation, justice, and respect for indigenous sovereignty and rights.

For more information, visit doctrineofdiscovery.org

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Media Contact

Philip P. Arnold, Ph.D.
Indigenous Values Initiative
P.O. Box 336
DeWitt, New York 13214-9211
info@indigenousvalues.org
indigenousvalues.org

For interview requests, fact sheets, or additional information, please contact us through doctrineofdiscovery.org.