Wampanoag writes about being "different"

Wampanoag author draws on childhood for young-reader novel

By Lauren DaleyAmong the sea of white children at Edgartown Elementary, she was the lone Wampanoag—olive skin, russet hair, onyx eyes, and 6 foot 1 by the time she was 12.

Stephanie always felt different—but she always believed in herself.

When a guidance counselor at Edgartown Elementary School told her, "Wampanoags don't go to college," Stephanie moved to Sandwich to attend high school, living with her dad and stepmother.

She went on to earn her bachelor's degree in African Studies from Rutgers University, along with two master's degrees. At Rutgers she met, and eventually married, Michael Elliott, a Nigerian. They now have a 6-year-old son, Major.

Duckworth-Elliott recently wrote a young readers' chapter book based on her own experiences growing up.Comment:  For more on the subject, see The Best Indian Books.