Marion E. Gridley
Marion E. Gridley was an influential figure in the study and promotion of Native American culture and history throughout the 20th century. Born in the early 1900s in White Plains, New York, she founded the Indian Council Fire in 1923 and served as its executive secretary until 1969. Gridley dedicated her career to writing, publishing, and editing, producing over two hundred vocational monographs for the Institute of Research's Career Research Monographs series. Although she was not of Native American descent, she was adopted by the Winnebago and Omaha tribes, which deeply informed her work. Among her notable contributions was her role as publisher and editor of The Amerindian, a periodical focused on Native American studies. Gridley authored numerous biographies and histories, including works on significant tribes like the Iroquois and prominent figures such as Hiawatha and Pocahontas. Her writings aimed to educate both adults and children about Native American culture, leaving a lasting legacy until her passing in the mid-1970s.
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Marion E. Gridley
Writer
- Born: November 16, 1906
- Birthplace: White Plains, New York
- Died: October 31, 1974
Biography
Marion E. Gridley was born in the early 1900’s in White Plains, New York, to a transportation engineer and his wife. In 1923, she founded the Indian Council Fire, and she served as the organization’s executive secretary until 1969. Gridley married Robinson Johnson in 1932. However, the couple divorced in 1947. She attended Northwestern University in Evanston, Illinois, in 1954-1955.
Throughout her life, Gridley was a publisher, editor, and writer. She wrote more than two hundred vocational monographs for the Institute of Research’s Career Research Monographs series. She was also a member of several organizations such as National Federation of Press Women, the Illinois Woman’s Press Association, and the Daughters of the American Revolution.
While not of Native American descent, Gridley was adopted by the Winnebago and Omaha tribes. Gridley spent the majority of her career writing about Native American culture and history; it is for these writings that she is best known. She also served as publisher and editor for The Amerindian, a periodical about Native American studies that has since become defunct. Gridley wrote many biographies and histories of tribes such as the Iroquois, and individuals such as Hiawatha and Pocahontas. Gridley wrote to educate both adults and children about Native American culture until her death in the mid-1970’s.