ALA PRESIDENT-ELECT LORIENE ROY TO BE HONORED WITH NATIVE DANCE
(CHICAGO)

When an individual accomplishes a great achievement, it is acknowledged through an honor dance in many American Indian communities.

On Friday, June 22, from 3:30 to 5:30 p.m., hundreds will gatherat the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian at FourthStreet and Independence Ave., S.W. in Washington, D.C., to honor the American Library Association's (ALA) President-Elect Loriene Roy.

The event recognizes Roy's accomplishment as the first American Indian to serve as ALApresident. Roy, an Anishinabe (Ojibwe), is an enrollee of the White EarthIndian reservation, a member of the federally recognized Minnesota Chippewa Tribe. She will assume the ALA presidency on June 27 following the ALA Annual Conference in Washington, D.C. Roy will serve a one-year term as the chief elected officer for the oldest and largest library organizationin the world.

The honor dance will be led by a color guard as Roy, her family and friends are escorted into the museum's main gathering space, the Potomac Atrium. A drum group will set the tone for the event by providing musicand songs. Many indigenous people will wear traditional clothing while female attendees will be encouraged to bring dance shawls. All who attend may join in the dance.

Established in 1876, the ALA is the "voice of America's libraries" and has more than 64,000 members. Its mission is to provide leadership forthe development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services for the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

For more information on the Honor Dance please contact LeondaLevchuk with the National Museum of the American Indian at 202-633-6613. ###

Contacts: Macey Morales ALA Media Relations 312-280- 4393mailto:4393mmorales@ala.org

Leonda Levchuk National Museum of the American Indian 202-633-6613 levchukl@si.edu

Macey L. Morales
Media Relations Manager
American Library Association 50 E. Huron Chicago, IL 60611
312-280-4393

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