Minnesota Schools Elevate Native American Teachings With Book Series

(Photo courtesy of MHC via Minnesota News Connection)

(By Mike Moen. Minnesota News Connection) – Minnesota schools are getting new materials to enhance their teaching of Native American history, as an emerging book series aims to blend a more comprehensive approach with compassion and curiosity.

The “Native American Lives” series, recently launched by the Minnesota Humanities Center, provides free biographies of Dakota and Ojibwe leaders and changemakers. Last fall, more than 5,500 books were distributed to public elementary and middle school libraries around the state, at no cost.

There’s a profile of Carrie Cavender Schommer, one of five remaining first language Dakota speakers. She taught in the Yellow Medicine East School District.

Roberta Bjerkeset, director of Indian education in the district, said Schommer used her gifts with care and purpose to revitalize the language while enabling younger Natives to embrace their identity.