Mary Kathryn Nagle facts for kids

Mary Kathryn Nagle is a talented writer who creates plays and also works as a lawyer. She focuses on helping Native nations and peoples keep their independence and rights, which is called tribal sovereignty. She was born in Oklahoma City and is a member of the Cherokee Nation. From 2015 to 2019, she was the leader of the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program (YIPAP).

Education and Her Work

Mary Kathryn Nagle studied Justice and Peace at Georgetown University. Later, she earned her law degree from Tulane University Law School, graduating with the highest honors. After law school, she worked for two federal judges in the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska.

Most of her legal work involves protecting the rights of Native people, both on and off reservations. One important case she worked on was Adoptive Couple v Baby Girl in 2013. In this case, she used the ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act) to help a young Native girl stay with her birth-father instead of being adopted by a non-Native family. While studying law, Nagle realized she wanted to use her writing to speak up for Native rights.

Her Plays and Recognition

Nagle was part of the 2013 Emerging Writers Group, a special program for new playwrights at The Public Theater. During this time, she wrote Manahatta. This play received praise from groups that give out important awards for playwriting.

Sliver of a Full Moon is one of her most well-known plays. It has been performed at the United Nations and at many law schools, including Yale, Harvard, NYU, and Stanford.

The Arena Stage asked her to write Sovereignty. This made her the first Native American playwright to have her work shown at that famous theater. Northwestern University Press published Sovereignty in 2020.

Her Family Background

Mary Kathryn Nagle's grandmother, Frances Polson, was a Cherokee woman. Her grandfather, Dr. Patrick Sarsfield Nagle II, was Irish. His father was a leader of the Oklahoma Socialist Party. Mary Kathryn's grandparents had to leave Oklahoma and go to Iowa to get married because Patrick's family did not approve of their marriage.

Her great-great-great grandfather was John Ridge, an important Cherokee leader. John Ridge's father, Major Ridge (Mary Kathryn's great-great-great-great grandfather), was also a Cherokee leader. Both of them worked on treaties with the United States. They tried to protect Cherokee rights during a time when Native people were being forced to move from their lands. This time is known as the Indian removal era.

Mary Kathryn Nagle's sister is Rebecca Nagle, who is also an activist and writer.

List of Plays

• Katrina Stories (2008)
• Welcome to Chalmette (2008)
• Waaxe's Law (2009)
• To the 7th Degree (2009)
• Manahatta (2023) – This play is about a young Native American woman who studied math. She learns about the history of her homeland, Manahatta.
• Sliver of a Full Moon (2013) – This play shares the stories of Native women who survived domestic violence. It shows how laws about who has power (jurisdiction) have affected them. It also talks about efforts to renew the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
• Miss Lead (2013) – A young Native American woman finds out she has lead poisoning.
• Fairly Traceable (2013) – This play is set after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. It follows two young Native American law students as they think about their careers, Native community rights, and the environment. It was performed in March 2017.
• In My Father's Eyes (2013–14)
• My Father's Bones (2013–14) – This play is about the children of Jim Thorpe. He was an Olympic gold medalist and a member of the Sac and Fox Nation. His children try to bring their father's remains back home.
• Diamonds... Are a Boy's Best Friend (2013–14)
• Sovereignty (2015) – A young Cherokee lawyer named Sarah Ridge Polson goes back to Oklahoma. She helps her Nation get back its tribal power.
• Crossing Mnisose (2017)
• Reclaiming One Star (2020)
• On the Far End (2023)