Tulsa City-County Library’s American Indian Resource Center will induct Dr. Henrietta Mann into the Circle of Honor during a special presentation March 3, 2018, 10:30 a.m. at Zarrow Regional Library, 2224 W. 51st St.
The Circle of Honor award presentation begins a monthlong celebration honoring the achievements and accomplishments of Native Americans. Programs will be held throughout TCCL locations during March. All library events are free and open to the public.
Dr. Mann is full-blood Cheyenne of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma and was the founding President of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribal College. As a leading expert on American Indian Studies, she has lectured throughout the United States, Canada, Germany, New Zealand, the United Kingdom, Spain, The Netherlands and Belgium.
Both of Mann’s great-grandmothers survived the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864 in Colorado Territory, when a Calvary of more than 500 men attacked and destroyed their village. She attributes her determination for equality to being a descendant of a strong line of survivors.
Dr. Mann is a sought after educator and has taught at the University of Montana - Missoula; the University of California - Berkeley; Harvard University; and Haskell Indian Nations University. She served as Director of the Office of Indian Education Programs and Deputy to the Assistant Secretary for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She was the National Coordinator of the American Indian Religious Freedom Act Coalition for the Association of American Indian Affairs.
As the first person to occupy the Endowed Chair in Native American Studies at Montana State University – Bozeman, Dr. Mann is a professor emeritus of Native American Studies and is an active member of Montana State University’s Council of Elders.
“We are excited for the Circle of Honor event to return home to Zarrow Regional Library where the American Indian Resource Center is located,” said Teresa Runnels, American Indian Resource Center coordinator. “It’s the perfect homecoming honor for Dr. Mann who is a tireless advocate for American Indian education, rights and equality. She is truly one of the greatest elders who thrives on sharing her knowledge.”
The Circle of Honor ceremony recognizes an American Indian for his or her achievements by acknowledging the inductee’s contributions that have enriched others’ lives and by celebrating the inductee’s action in the face of adversity, commitment to the preservation of American Indian culture and legacy for future generations.
Sponsored by the Maxine and Jack Zarrow Family Foundation, Cherokee Builders Inc., Dr. Frank and Mary Shaw, Friends of the Helmerich Library, American Indian Resource Center and the Tulsa Library Trust. The award consists of a $5,000 honorarium and a medallion featuring the American Indian Resource Center’s turtle logo.
The Circle of Honor alternates annually with the American Indian Festival of Words Author Award. Past Circle of Honor recipients include Charles Chibitty, Wilma Mankiller, Neal McCaleb, Billy Mills, Kirke Kickingbird, Ruthe Blalock Jones and Sam Proctor.
Each March, TCCL’s American Indian Resource Center presents free, family events to celebrate the history, culture, arts and achievements of American Indians through a series of enlightening programs.
The American Indian Resource Center provides educational and informational resources, activities and services honoring American Indian heritage, arts and achievements. The center also provides access to more than 4,000 books and media for adults and children by and about American Indians, including historical and rare materials, new releases, videos and music CDs.
Recent additions to the collection include native-language printed materials and CDs for independent learning. The goal of this collection is to promote, revitalize and preserve our country’s native languages.
For more information on the Circle of Honor ceremony, call the AskUs Hotline, 918-549-7323, or visit the library’s website, http://tulsalibrary.org./airc.
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