1. Mourning Dove (Christine Quintasket)
Biography
Portrait of Native American author Mourning Dove, taken in 1915, displayed in the American Indians of the Pacific Northwest Collection at the Northwest Museum of Arts and Culture.

2. Place of birth Date of birth
Washington (state)
Date of birth
1888 (?)

3. Date of death Place of death Burial location
1936
Place of death
Burial location

4. Interesting facts about childhood
Grew up on Colville Reservation in north central Washington State
loved stories told by her mother and father (Lucy & Joseph), Broken Nose Abraham, Long Woman & other storytellers
went to government and Catholic schools
Learned to write English
Secretarial school in Canada

5. Place(s) where this author lived
Place(s) where this author lived. Include dates and explain how each place influenced them.
Canada – attended secretarial school & learned to type
Washington – steeped in the storytelling tradition, which became her life’s work

6. How did this author become inspired to write?
Storytellers
the Animal People
history of her people
Lucullus Virgil McWhorter – activist who encouraged her to write

7. Where applicable, explain any obstacles this writer faced
Racism
Struggle for native rights
Worked 10-hour days picking apples and had to find time to write

8. How successful was this author during his/her lifetime?
Cogewea, the Half-Blood – 1927 (novel)
Coyote Stories – 1933 (folklore collection)

9. If the author wasn’t successful or popular at the time of their death, explain how and why they are still well known today
N/A

10. Why is this author considered influential?
Wrote one of the first novels by a Native American woman
Wrote one of few early Native American works with a female main character (Cogewea)
Preserved important stories from the oral tradition

11. Identify five (5) characteristics of this author and give specific examples
curious – loved stories and learning
motivated – worked hard to become a writer
valued family & culture – preserved the folklore of her people