She Persisted: Maria Tallchief

Dear Reader,

As Sally Ride and Marian Wright Edelman both powerfully said, “You can’t be what you can’t see.” When Sally Ride said that, she meant that it was hard to dream of being an astronaut, like she was, or a doctor or an athlete or anything at all if you didn’t see someone like you who already had lived that dream. She especially was talking about seeing women in jobs that historically were held by men. 

I wrote the first She Persisted and the books that came after it because I wanted young girls—and children of all genders—to see women who worked hard to live their dreams. And I wanted all of us to see examples of persistence in the face of different challenges to help inspire us in our own lives. 

I’m so thrilled now to partner with a sisterhood of writers to bring longer, more in-depth versions of these stories of women’s persistence and achievement to readers. I hope you enjoy these chapter books as much as I do and find them inspiring and empowering. 

And remember: If anyone ever tells you no, if anyone ever says your voice isn’t important or your dreams are too big, remember these women. They persisted and so should you.

Warmly,
Chelsea Clinton


TABLE OF CONTENTS
Chapter 1: Osage
Chapter 2: Student
Chapter 3: First Performance
Chapter 4: Rising Star
Chapter 5: Breaking Barriers
Chapter 6: A Legacy
How You Can Persist
References


Chapter 1
Osage

When Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief was born, there were few American ballet stars. She would become one of the first. And to this day, she remains one of the most famous and celebrated dancers in history.

We know her as Maria Tallchief. Growing up, she was nicknamed Betty.