Native American Artists Join Prestigious Academy

Two distinguished Native American artists have been elected to the American Academy of Arts & Sciences, one of the nation’s oldest and most respected honorary societies.

Cherokee Nation citizen Mary Kathryn Nagle, an accomplished playwright and attorney from Oklahoma City, and multidisciplinary visual artist Anita Fields, a Muscogee and Osage artist from Hominy, are among the 250 new inductees to the prestigious 245-year-old institution.

“The work I make signifies a continuum of thought, knowledge, and the essence of who we are as Indigenous peoples living in a modern, chaotic, and challenging world,” Anita Fields says on her website.

Founded in 1780, the Academy brings together exceptional minds from diverse fields including academia, arts, industry, policy, research, and science to address critical challenges facing the United States and global community.

Academy President Laurie L. Patton celebrated the new members: “These new members’ accomplishments speak volumes about the human capacity for discovery, creativity, leadership, and persistence. They are a stellar testament to the power of knowledge to broaden our horizons and deepen our understanding. We invite every new member to celebrate their achievement and join the Academy in our work to promote the common good,” she said in a statement.