March 2011 Top Story

American Indian Author Louise Erdrich Chosen Mentor by First Lady Michelle Obama

by Levi Rickert, editor-in-chief in Native Currents. Discussion »

WASHINGTON DC - Award-winning author, Louise Erdrich has been chosen by First Lady Michelle Obama to participate in a women mentor program. The March 30th special event is part of Women’s History Month at the White House.

Author Louise Erdrich - Chippewa

Erdrich, who is a tribal member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians, has authored many books, including, “Love Medicine,” “The Beet Queen,” “Tracks,” “The Bingo Palace,” “Four Souls,” “The Painted Drum,” “The Plague Doves,” “Shadow Tag,” among others.

She won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Fiction for her 1984 “Love Medicine.” In 1987 Erdrich won the O. Henry Award for short story for “Fleur” that was published in Esquire in August 1986. Erdrich was a Pulitzer Prize finalist for “The Plague Doves” in 2009.

Erdrich owns Birchbark Books, an independent book store, in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

The guest women mentors will showcase the important role mentoring can play in the lives of young people as they encourage all students, particularly young women, to pursue their dreams and aspirations.

On Wednesday night, the First Lady will host a dinner at the White House’s East Room for a dinner and program with 120 students from the metropolitan Washington DC area.

Photo by Persia Erdrich
Originally posted March of 2011; updated March 26, 2012 8:55 am edt