“Searching for Pioneers: Native Women Writers of Oklahoma in Urban Homelands” lecture, Pioneer Woman Museum

On Saturday, March 26, at 10 a.m., the Pioneer Woman Museum in Ponca City will host a free lecture. Dr. Lindsey Claire Smith, editor of the American Indian Quarterly and associate professor of English at Oklahoma State University will present “Searching for Pioneers: Native Women Writers of Oklahoma in Urban Homelands.” Smith will discuss writings by LeAnne Howe (Choctaw) and Joy Harjo (Creek) that link homelands in Oklahoma with often overlooked indigenous legacies in cities such as New Orleans and Santa Fe, where Native American women have long been thriving participants in arts, music, and commerce. Though our concept of “pioneers” usually applies to non-Indians seeking to displace American Indians, together we will consider how we may rethink what it means to be a “pioneer.” Reconsidering this concept may allow us a more accurate understanding of Native women’s contributions to urban cultures and to our own communities. Please call 580-765-6108 for more information.