Brown Bag Lunch Series Searches For 'the Real Pocahontas'

SALISBURY, MD—The next topic in Salisbury University’s Brown Bag Lunch discussion series is “Searching for the Real Pocahontas,” presented by Dr. Melanie Perreault of SU’s history department. The discussion is noon Wednesday, November 17, in the University Gallery at Fulton Hall. Perreault examines the myth and the reality of Pocahontas' life, focusing primarily on her use as a symbol for the Powhatan tribe and the English settlers, and later as a symbol for changing American ideals of womanhood. Based on English documents, anthropology and Native American folklore, Perreault’s research incorporates multiple perspectives in assessing Pocahontas' place in history. The discussion includes an overview of the changing image of Pocahontas from the 16th to the 20th centuries, with visual demonstrations as well. Perreault earned her doctorate in colonial American history from the College of William and Mary. She teaches colonial American history at SU and recently published a book, Early English Encounters in Russia, West Africa and the Americas, 1530-1614, which chronicles a partial history of English exploration. Sponsored by the Charles R. and Martha N. Fulton School of Liberal Arts, the discussion is free and the public is invited. For more information call 410-543-6030 or visit the SU Web site at www.salisbury.edu.