Paulla Dove Jennings
| Paulla Dove Jennings | |
|---|---|
| Ethnicity | Turtle Clan, Narragansett tribe; tribal council member |
| Alma mater | Community College of Rhode Island |
| Occupation | Professional story teller, educator and children’s book author, curator |
| Employer | Boston Children's Museum, Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum |
| Known for | Book, Strawberry Thanksgiving, lawsuit regarding a raid on a tribal smoke shop |
Paulla Dove Jennings is a member of the Narragansett tribe and a professional story teller, educator and children’s book author.
Life and career
Jennings hails from the Turtle Clan, keepers of history, tribal lore, and legends.[1] She learned her tribal and family history from her grandmother. Jennings also obtained a degree from the Community College of Rhode Island and has worked as a curator for both the Boston Children's Museum and the Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum in Exeter, Rhode Island.[2] She has performed as a storyteller at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.[3]
In addition to her work as an educator and storyteller, Jennings has been politically active in her tribe. She has served on her tribal council, and in 2007 ran an unsuccessful campaign for the position of chief sachem.[4] She and her son Adam were among the plaintiffs[5] in a lawsuit against Rhode Island State Police, which in July 2003 raided a tribal smoke shop. The raid resulted in eight arrests and eight injured,[6] including Jennings's son.[7] Jennings herself has spoken publicly about the case as an infringement on Narragansett tribal sovereignty.[8]
Strawberry Thanksgiving
Strawberry Thanksgiving was written for the Multicultural Celebrations at The Children's Museum of Boston, part of a series of books designed to educate children about different cultures. Written by Jennings and illustrated by Ramona Peters, the book tells how a young boy, Adam, learns to forgive his sister by hearing his grandmother tell the story of Strawberry Thanksgiving.
References
- ↑ Spears, Loren (2010). Place, Memories, Stories, & Dreams: The Gifts of Inspiration Curriculum Guide (PDF). Rhode Island: Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum.
- ↑ "Charlestown Land Trust Newsletter" (PDF). Vision. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ↑ Anonymous (25 September 2004). "Today at the First Americas Festival". Washington Post.
- ↑ Anonymous (29 October 2007). "New England in Brief". Boston Globe.
- ↑ Native American Press (25 March 2005). "Federal judge dismisses some claims in smoke-shop lawsuit". The Ojibwe News.
- ↑ Belluck, Pam (2003-12-30). "Tribe Loses Suit on Tax-Free Tobacco". The New York Times. Retrieved 5 April 2013.
- ↑ Zuckerman, Elizabeth (2005-03-23). "Witness: Worker not fighting when ankle broken". The Day. Retrieved 6 April 2013.
- ↑ Sullivan, Lee (17 November 2010). "Colloquium Speakers Address Inequality, the Effects of Words". The Good 5c Cigar. Retrieved 14 April 2013.
External links
- 2010 video of Jennings speaking at the University of Rhode Island