PBS Wisconsin Education is excited to launch the newest addition to the Wisconsin Biographies collection. Electa Quinney: Mohican Teacher and Mentor was created in collaboration with the Stockbridge Munsee Community to share Quinney’s legacy of generosity and her dedication to education.

Known as the first public school teacher in Wisconsin and a notable mentor in the Mohican community, the biography explores how Quinney and the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohicans used both traditional Native and non-Native education to keep their traditions alive and preserve their ways of life.

The animated video depicting Quinney’s story will premiere at approximately 7:55 p.m. Tuesday, Nov. 7 at the conclusion of Finding Your Roots on PBS Wisconsin and will be available on the pbswisconsineducation.org website starting Nov. 1.

Wisconsin Biographies is a collection of free-to-use, educational, online media resources to enrich social studies and literacy curriculum, using the stories of notable people in Wisconsin history. The collection brings Quinney’s story to life for learners today, with an animated video, a digital book with audio, a gallery of historical images and an educator guide.

Through an inclusive production model, PBS Wisconsin Education seeks to feature identities, perspectives and experiences in the making of educational media. For the production of Electa Quinney: Mohican Teacher and Mentor, PBS Wisconsin Education worked with educators, students, scriptwriters, story consultants, voiceover, art, music talent and advisors, and worked to gain approval on various aspects of the project from the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians Tribal Council.

PBS Wisconsin Education Director Megan Monday said PBS Wisconsin Education was grateful to work with the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohican Indians Community, including Monique Tyndall, director of the tribal nation's cultural affairs office, and the individuals who contributed to the production.

“We couldn’t have done justice to the Electa Quinney story without the deep collaboration from the Stockbridge-Munsee Mohican Community,” Monday said. “Working directly with the community ensured historical and representational accuracy and enhanced the art and storytelling of the resources.”

Funding for Wisconsin Biographies: Electa Quinney is provided by the Timothy William Trout Education Fund, a gift of Monroe and Sandra Trout, donors to the Focus Fund for Education, and Friends of PBS Wisconsin.

PBS Wisconsin is a service of the Educational Communications Board and The Board of Regents of the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

PBS Wisconsin is a place to grow through learning on WHA-TV, Madison; WPNE-TV, Green Bay; WHRM-TV, Wausau; WLEF-TV, Park Falls; WHLA-TV, La Crosse; and WHWC-TV, Menomonie-Eau Claire.

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