Jane Johnston Schoolcraft's Literary Firsts | Jan 31

Published January 31, 2026 at 12:00 AM EST

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On this day in 1800, Jane Johnston Schoolcraft, the first known Indigenous literary writer and poet, was born in Ste. Saint Marie. Known as Bamewawagezhikaquay in Ojibwe, she left behind writings in both English and Ojibwe, offering insights into early 1800s life.