Doris Seale facts for kids
Doris Seale (born July 10, 1936 – died February 17, 2017) was a very important person. She was a librarian, poet, writer, and teacher. Doris was from the Santee Dakota, Abenaki, and Cree nations. For 45 years, she worked as a librarian.
Doris Seale spent her life making sure that books for kids showed Native American people and cultures in a true and respectful way. She wanted to send positive messages to children. Her work also helped teachers learn the real history and cultures of Native American people.
Helping Kids' Books Be Fair
Doris Seale was a co-founder of an organization called Oyate. This group works to review children's books. They make sure the books are historically accurate. They also check that the books are culturally appropriate. Oyate helps remove unfair ideas and stereotypes about Native Americans.
Doris wrote poems and non-fiction books about these important topics. Her last published book was called A Broken Flute: The Native Experience in Books for Children. This book talked about cultural appropriation. This means when parts of a culture are used without understanding or respect.
One part of her book helped teachers. It showed them how to understand the true story of the first Thanksgiving. This helped educators create activities that were more respectful for the holiday.
Standing Up for What's Right
Doris Seale was also an activist. This means she actively worked for change. In 2001, she won the ALA Equity Award. This award is from the American Library Association. The award ceremony was at a hotel in San Francisco.
However, the hotel workers were having a disagreement with the hotel. They were on a picket line outside. Doris Seale chose to join the workers on the picket line. She did not go inside to accept her award. This showed how much she cared about fairness for everyone.
Awards and Recognition
Doris Seale received important awards for her work:
- 2001 American Library Association Equality Award
- 2006 American Book Award
