Paulla Dove Jennings facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Paulla Dove Jennings
|
|
|---|---|
.jpg)
Paulla Dove Jennings (2012)
|
|
| Born | 1940 |
| Nationality | Narragansett Indian Tribe, American |
| Education | Community College of Rhode Island |
| Occupation | Professional story teller, educator and children’s book author, curator |
| Employer | Boston Children's Museum, Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum |
| Known for | Book, Strawberry Thanksgiving, lawsuit regarding a raid on a tribal smoke shop |
Paulla Dove Jennings is a Narragansett storyteller, educator, and children's book author. She shares her tribe's history and traditions through her work.
Contents
Paulla Dove Jennings' Early Life
Paulla Dove Jennings was born in 1940 in Providence, Rhode Island. Her parents were Eleanor and Ferris Dove. Her family has deep roots with the Narragansett and Niantic tribes.
Family and Tribal Connections
Jennings is an official member of the Narragansett Indian Tribe. She belongs to the Turtle Clan, which is an important part of her tribal identity. Her father was a Narragansett war chief and a graduate of Bacone College.
Her parents ran a popular restaurant and trading post called Dovecrest for many years. This place later became a school. It taught about Native American history and important values. Paulla was one of four children. She learned many stories and much about her family's history from her grandmother.
Paulla Dove Jennings' Career
Paulla Dove Jennings earned a degree from the Community College of Rhode Island. She has worked as a curator, which means she helps manage and organize collections, for two museums. These include the Boston Children's Museum and the Tomaquag Indian Memorial Museum in Exeter, Rhode Island.
Storytelling and Education
Jennings is a talented storyteller. She has shared her stories at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. In 2010, she was the Tribal Historian in Residence for a special program. This program was about Native American Studies at the University of Massachusetts Amherst.
Tribal Leadership and Advocacy
Beyond her work as an educator and storyteller, Jennings has been active in her tribe's government. She served on her tribal council. In 2007, she ran for the position of chief sachem, which is a tribal leader, but she was not elected.
Jennings has also spoken out about important issues for her tribe. She and her son, Adam, were part of a legal case. This case was about an event in July 2003. State police raided a tribal business, leading to arrests and injuries. Jennings has publicly stated that this event was an attack on the Narragansett tribe's right to govern itself.
Strawberry Thanksgiving Book
Paulla Dove Jennings wrote the book Strawberry Thanksgiving. It was created for the Multicultural Celebrations at the Boston Children's Museum. This book is part of a series designed to teach children about different cultures.
Story of Forgiveness
The book tells the story of a young boy named Adam. He learns to forgive his sister. This happens when his grandmother shares the traditional story of Strawberry Thanksgiving. The book was illustrated by Ramona Peters.
