Mary Kathryn Nagle facts for kids

Mary Kathryn Nagle is a talented writer and a lawyer. She works to protect the special rights and independence of Native nations and peoples. Mary Kathryn was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. She is a registered citizen of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. From 2015 to 2019, she was the leader of the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program (YIPAP).

Education and Career

Mary Kathryn Nagle studied Justice and Peace at Georgetown University. Later, she earned her law degree from Tulane University Law School. She graduated with very high honors. After law school, Nagle worked for two federal judges at the same time. This was at the United States District Court for the District of Nebraska. She worked for Senior Judge Joseph Bataillon and Chief Judge Laurie Smith Camp.

Most of her legal work involves fighting for the rights of Native people. This includes those living on and off reservations. One important case she worked on was Adoptive Couple v Baby Girl in 2013. This case, also known as the Baby Veronica case, went to the US Supreme Court. Mary Kathryn wrote a legal paper for the case. It used the ICWA (Indian Child Welfare Act). This law helps keep Native children connected to their families and tribes. Her goal was to keep a young Native girl with her birth-father.

While in law school, Nagle realized she wanted to help Native rights through plays too. She joined the Emerging Writers Group in 2013. This is a special program at The Public Theater for new playwrights. During this time, she wrote Manahatta. This play won awards like the William Saroyan Prize for Playwriting.

Sliver of a Full Moon is one of her most successful plays. It has been performed at the Church Center of the United Nations. It was also shown at many law schools. These include Yale, Harvard, NYU, and Stanford.

The Arena Stage asked her to write Sovereignty. This made her the first Native American playwright to have a play shown there. Northwestern University Press will publish Sovereignty in 2020.

Family History

Mary Kathryn Nagle's grandmother was Frances Polson, a Cherokee woman. Her grandfather was Dr. Patrick Sarsfield Nagle II, an Irish man. He was the son of the leader of the Oklahoma Socialist Party. Her grandparents had to run away to Iowa to get married. This was because Patrick's family did not approve of the marriage.

Her great-great-great grandfather was John Ridge. He was an important Cherokee politician. John Ridge's father, Major Ridge, was also a Cherokee politician. He was Mary Kathryn's great-great-great-great grandfather. Both men worked on treaties with the United States. They tried to protect Cherokee rights during the time of Indian removal.

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

Plays Written by Mary Kathryn Nagle

• Katrina Stories (2008)
• Welcome to Chalmette (2008)
• Waaxe's Law (2009)
• To the 7th Degree (2009)
• Manahatta (2013) – This play is about a young Native American woman. She has a degree in math and learns about the history of her homeland, Manahatta (which is now New York City).
• Sliver of a Full Moon (2013) – This play shares the true stories of Native women who survived domestic violence. It shows how laws about tribal lands affected them. It also highlights efforts to update the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA).
• Miss Lead (2013) – A young Native American woman finds out she has lead poisoning. She must deal with this difficult news.
• Fairly Traceable (2013) – This play takes place after Hurricanes Katrina and Rita. Two young Native American law students think about their careers. They also consider the rights of Native communities and the environment. It was shown in 2017 at the Autry Museum of the American West.
• 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 legal powers.
• Crossing Mnisose (2017)
• Reclaiming One Star (2020)
• On the Far End (2023)