Wilma Mankiller, the first female chief of a major Native American tribe, will be at the College this winter as a Montgomery Fellow.
A respected Native American leader who was chief of her Cherokee Nation tribe from 1985 to this past August, Mankiller will spend the entire term at the College, participating in classes and hosting smaller, informal discussions.
"I anticipate a lot of activity," Executive Director of the Montgomery Endowment Barbara Gerstner said. "There are at least eight classes in the Native American Studies Department that she would be perfect to be a guest lecturer in."
This will not be the first time that Mankiller has visited Dartmouth -- she gave a speech to an overflow crowd in 105 Dartmouth Hall in April 1994.
The Montgomery Endowment invites several prominent individuals from various disciplines to come to the College and share their experiences in lectures or classes.
Montgomery Fellows stay in the Montgomery House, which is across the street from Dick's House, during their time on campus.
Acting Director of the Native American Program Michael Hanitchak said Mankiller's presence at the College will be "a great contribution."
"We have a relatively small adult Native American community here and another adult, with her age and experience" will be an incredible resource, Hanitchak said. "She is somewhat of an elder, and certainly a statesperson."
Linda Welch, administrative assistant for Native American studies, said everyone in the department "is very excited about her arrival."
"She's been with us before for a couple of days, but this time it will be for a whole term," Welch said.
Although no specific schedule is set yet, Gerstner said Mankiller will also deliver a public address.
According to a press release issued by Native American studies, the date and title of Mankiller's public address will be announced at the beginning of Winter term.
Mankiller, who was born in Oklahoma, became involved with Native American rights movement in 1969, after a failed attempt by Native Americans to reclaim Alcatraz Island, according to the release.
After studying at Flaming Rainbow College and University of Arkansas, Mankiller worked as a community organizer for the Cherokee Nation.
She focused her efforts on improving health care, education, employment and housing for tribe members and founded the Cherokee Nation Community Development Department in 1981, according to the release.
The Montgomery Endowment has brought writers and scholars such as David McCollough, Toni Morrison and former President Gerald Ford to the College in the past.
Fellows visit for periods of three days to three terms, depending on how long the person can stay, the endowment's resources and whether they are able to teach a course.
The Montgomery Endowment, established in 1977, was funded by Kenneth Montgomery '25 and his wife Harle.
This term's Montgomery Fellow is Russian author Vyacheslav Ivanov. In the spring, Anthropology Professor Ernest Gellner from King's College in Cambridge, England, will be the Montgomery Fellow.
