An Evening with Mary Annette Pember

The Rock County Historical Society is honored to welcome acclaimed journalist and author Mary Annette Pember back to her hometown of Janesville for an evening of conversation about her award-winning book, Medicine River: A Story of Survival and the Legacy of Indian Boarding Schools. A daughter of Janesville, Pember attended local schools before graduating from the University of Wisconsin–Madison and embarking on a distinguished career in journalism. Today, she is a nationally recognized Indigenous journalist, a citizen of the Red Cliff Band of Lake Superior Ojibwe, and a national correspondent for ICT News. Her work has appeared in The New York Times, The Atlantic, The Guardian, and numerous other national publications. She is the recipient of multiple journalism honors, including the Medill Milestone Achievement Award, the Ida B. Wells Fellowship, and the Rosalynn Carter Fellowship for Mental Health Journalism.

Medicine River is Pember's first book and tells the story of her mother, who was forced to attend a Catholic-run Native American boarding school. Through meticulous historical research and deeply personal storytelling, Pember examines the federal boarding school system, the lasting effects of cultural assimilation policies, and the intergenerational impact of trauma on Native families and communities. While confronting a difficult chapter in American history, the book is ultimately one of resilience, truth, and healing.

The evening will feature a moderated conversation between Mary Annette Pember and Frank Schultz, retired editor and longtime journalist with the Janesville Gazette. Their discussion will explore Native American boarding school history, family memory, mental health, and the process of researching and writing a deeply personal family story. Audience members will also have an opportunity to participate in a question-and-answer session.

This event is part of The Frances E. Willard Pioneering Women Lecture Series, which celebrates remarkable women whose lives and work have expanded our understanding of history, culture, science, social reform, and the arts. Hosted by the Rock County Historical Society, the series brings nationally recognized authors, scholars, artists, and historians to Janesville while highlighting the region’s own rich connections to women’s history. The goal is to foster thoughtful community conversations, inspire lifelong learning, and showcase Janesville as a destination for cultural tourism and public humanities.  This series is underwritten by The Hadley Hart Group.