Rae Nell Vaughn, chief justice of the Choctaw Indian tribal Supreme Court and cultural historian, will discuss the oral traditions of Mississippi Choctaws during a lecture at 3 p.m., Monday, March 11 in room 115 of McMichael science building, located on the Elon campus. She will also discuss tribal myths and legends, and the role Choctaw oral tradition has played in the tribe’s judicial system.
Vaughn earned a degree in criminal justice from Mississippi State University. She served a five-year term on the Choctaw Senior Youth Court before her appointment to the Supreme Court in 2001. As an undergraduate student, Vaughn served as the tribe’s archivist, where she became interested in the oral traditions of her tribe.