UA News

Noted Cherokee activist and tribal chief Wilma Mankiller will give a public lecture Sept. 29.

Wilma Mankiller, a former principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, will speak at The University of Arizona on Tuesday, Sept. 30, at 7 p.m. in Gallagher Theatre. Mankiller will be at the UA to deliver a weeklong series of seminars and colloquia for the American Indian studies program.

Throughout her career, Mankiller has been a tireless champion for Native American rights. She climbed through the tribal ranks to become the first woman to serve as a Cherokee chief, and was the principal chief from 1985 to 1995. Her 1993 autobiography, "Mankiller: A Chief and Her People," became a best-seller and is still popular as a classroom textbook.

Her visit is second in the new Vine Deloria Jr. Indigenous Scholars Program at the UA. The program was developed to honor the late founding faculty member of the UA American Indian studies program. Recognized Indigenous scholars are invited to campus to share their experiences and expertise with the UA and Tucson communities.

Two other visits are scheduled this fall. Richard Allen, a policy analyst for the Cherokee Nation, has written several important pieces of tribal legislation, served as the liaison between the Cherokees and other federally recognized Native nations and has been active in Veteran Affairs for the National Congress of American Indians. Allen's address is Monday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. in the Kiva Auditorium in the College of Education.

David Wilkins a UA alumnus, is a professor at the University of Minnesota. Wilkins is an internationally known scholar of Native American political activism, legal rights, governance and sovereignty. His address is Monday, Nov. 10, at 7 p.m. in the Kiva Auditorium.

For further information, contact Tsianina Lomawaima, professor and director of American Indian studies, Professor Tom Holm or Tarissa Spoonhunter at the UA American Indian Studies Program, 520-621-7108.