This is Amy Wagenaar from the Historical Society of Michigan with a Michigan history moment. Scholars and historians consider Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, the first known Native American writer. Jane's mother was a member of the Ojibwe tribe and the daughter of a powerful chief. Her father, John Johnston, was originally from Ireland. He gained a dominant position in the fur trade of the southern Lake Superior region and was well respected by the people of the area. Jane was born in 1800 in Sault Ste. Marie. Jane's mother taught her the Ojibwe language and legends. Her father taught her to read and write English with books from his large library. Jane traveled with her father to his native Ireland when she was nine years old. She stayed with relatives while her father conducted business but was often homesick. Jane started writing when she was very young. She wrote down the stories her mother had shared with her. She also wrote poems that were based on the world around her. When Jane started to write her own stories, she based them on her Ojibwe heritage. Jane married Henry Schoolcraft, the Michigan Territory Indian agent, in 1823. Henry Schoolcraft had stayed with the family when he first arrived in the Territory. Both of them shared a love of reading and writing. They jointly published a magazine called the Literary Voyager, which included Jane's stories and poems. That was the first time people outside of Jane's family read her writing. Jane's work eventually served as a source for Henry Wadsworth Longfellow's epic poem, the Song of Hiawatha. In 1827, Jane and Henry's son died of a breathing sickness. Jane was devastated by the loss and became ill. She worked through her sadness by writing poetry. Later that year, Jane and Henry had a little girl and added a son. In 1829, Jane taught the Ojibwe language and legends to her children. Henry lost his job in 1841 and moved his family to New York City. Later, he decided to go to Europe to find work. Jane stayed behind, choosing to live with her sister in Canada. On May 22, 1842, Jane Johnston Schoolcraft died from an unknown cause. She was buried far away from the land and people she loved. But her stories and poetry keep the memory of those places alive. This Michigan history moment was brought to you by michiganhistorymagazine.org.