Journalism's Native Daughters project to be featured in upcoming events

            The Omaha Chapter of the National Society Daughters of the American Revolution will sponsor a lecture by University of Nebraska-Lincoln journalism professor Joe Starita on Oct. 14 at the Durham Museum, 801 S. 10th St., Omaha.

            Starita will speak about his book, "I Am a Man: Chief Standing Bear's Journey for Justice." He also will discuss the Native Daughters project of the UNL College of Journalism and Mass Communications, including recent research on Dr. Susan La Flesche Picotte, the first Native physician in the United States. This event begins at 10 a.m. and is free and open to the public.

            "It's always an honor for the College of Journalism and Mass Communications to have the hard work of its students showcased in such a magnificent setting," Starita said. "The richness and vitality of Native culture has been a personal passion for almost half a century and to bring it to diverse audiences is endlessly enriching."

            Native Daughters offers students the opportunity to participate in depth reporting classes and is taught by Starita and Jerry Renaud, professor of broadcasting, and Judi gaiashkibos, executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs. These classes provide students the skills to probe deeply into a focused topic.

            Native Daughters is a collection of stories, profiles and multimedia projects about a diverse group of Native American women. The first magazine and website focused on the vital role Native women throughout the nation continue to play in their culture. It also was developed into an accompanying curriculum guide that is taught in schools across the United States.

            Because of the success of the first project, a Native American woman invited the college to produce a similar project about Oklahoma tribes. Oklahoma has one of the largest Native populations in the country, second only to California.

            The Native Daughters project will also be featured at the Clair M. Hubbard First Peoples of the Plains lecture at 7 p.m. Oct. 10 at UNL's Sheldon Museum of Art, 12th and R streets. The event will include lectures by author and educator Virginia Driving Hawk Sneve of the Rosebud Sioux Tribe and Gena Timberman, a lawyer and a member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma.

            For more information on the Native Daughters program, go to http://cojmc.unl.edu/nativedaughters.

Writer: Sue M. Roush, Journalism and Mass Communications