The relationship between the Wabanaki Nations and the state of Maine has been shaped by centuries of legal and political maneuvering, often to the detriment of the Wabanaki Nations and their inherent sovereignty. For this program, we will be joined by Hon. Donna Loring, an elder and former council member of the Penobscot Nation. She served as the Nation’s representative in the Maine Legislature for over a decade and as Senior Advisor on Tribal Affairs to Governor Janet Mills. Additionally, she is a Vietnam veteran, an author, and the host of Wabanaki Windows on WERU Community Radio.

Alongside her, Hon. Eric Mehnert, the Chief Judge of the Penobscot Nation Tribal Court since 2008, will share insights from their report, One Nation, Under Fraud: A Remonstrance. Issued by the Permanent Commission on the Status of Racial, Indigenous, and Tribal Populations, the report examines Maine’s long history of systemic fraud against the Wabanaki, highlights the significance of the 1942 transcripts, and offers a framework for justice and reconciliation. Their article, published in the Maine Law Review (Vol. 75.2), was also the primary paper for the first annual Indian Law and History Lecture Series at the University of Maine School of Law.

Join us for this in-depth conversation about historical accountability and the path forward.

I hope to see you tomorrow,

Maggie