Hubbard Lecture to focus on safety of Native women, tribal sovereignty

Mary Kathryn Nagle, executive director of the Yale Indigenous Performing Arts Program and a member of the Cherokee Nation, will deliver the sixth annual Claire M. Hubbard First Peoples of the Plains Lecture at 7 p.m. Oct. 10 in the Great Plains Art Museum.

A free public reception will precede the lecture at 6 p.m.

Nagle’s talk is titled “Sovereignty and Safety for Native Women.” She will discuss how ensuring the safety of Native women ensures protection and preservation of tribal sovereignty. She will address important legal cases from Worcester v. Georgia to Dollar General Corp. v. Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and provide information on how the U.S. Supreme Court has played a pivotal role in upholding — and sometimes erasing — the sovereignty of tribal nations.

Nagle is also a partner at Pipestem Law, where she works to protect tribal sovereignty and the inherent right of tribal nations to protect their women and children from domestic violence and sexual assault. Nagle has authored numerous briefs in federal appellate courts, including the U.S. Supreme Court.

“Mary Kathryn Nagle is a tireless legal advocate for Native women, and as a playwright, she raises our social awareness about unique challenges facing Native American victims of domestic abuse,” said Susan Weller, director of the University of Nebraska State Museum. “I am expecting a truly thought-provoking evening.”

The reception and lecture are sponsored by the state museum, Center for Great Plains Studies and Great Plains Art Museum. The lecture is made possible by contributions from Anne M. Hubbard and the Claire M. Hubbard Foundation.

“The Center for Great Plains Studies is pleased to partner with the University of Nebraska State Museum to present the Hubbard Lecture,” said Rick Edwards, the center’s director. “Over the years, the lecture has brought a variety of Native American voices to our community, deepening our understanding of the Great Plains.”

Parking for the event is available in the Que Place parking garage, 1111 Q St.

Learn more about the Hubbard Lecture.