Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation Launches Pequot Neepun Teacher Institute to Advance Indigenous History Education

(Mashantucket, Conn.) – The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation (MPTN) proudly announces the launch of the Pequot Neepun Teacher Institute, a week-long, residential professional development opportunity for K-12 school teachers from across the country. Designed to deepen historical knowledge and encourage more accurate and representative teaching of Indigenous history, this initiative builds on previous National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) support and is now fully funded by the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

“I am thrilled that our Tribal Nation remains steadfast in its dedication to enlightening those eager to understand our heritage,” said Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Councilor and Education Committee Chairwoman, Crystal Whipple. “We have a wealth of wisdom and beauty to share about our vibrant people and culture. It is vital that we continue to educate and empower future generations with the truth of our legacy.”

“Ensuring that educators and students alike have the necessary information about Pequot and northeastern woodland tribal history, traditions and culture has always been a priority for the Pequot Museum,” said Executive Director Joshua Carter. “Knowing the false narratives that have been perpetuated, we are grateful to be in a position to provide an accurate understanding about who we are and where we come from.”

This year, the Institute received 256 applications from educators nationwide. Thirty-six teachers were selected to attend the program, representing a wide geographic range from California to Connecticut.

The Pequot Neepun Teacher Institute, formerly supported by an $81,490 NEH grant, is titled “The Pequot War: America’s First Attempted Genocide and the Resilience of the Pequot People.” The program explores the complex history of the Pequot people, including colonization, the Pequot War, and the survival and resurgence of the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation.

The initial NEH grant awarded to MPTN was part of over $939,000 in federal funding distributed to four Connecticut institutions during NEH’s final 2024 grant cycle. Other recipients included the Mystic Seaport Museum, Yale University, and the Lyman Allyn Art Museum.

This year’s Institute is directed by Rebecca Lord Gomez, Director of Education for the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, and Joshua Carter, Executive Director of the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center, with Wunneau Lamb-Cason serving as Curriculum Specialist. The program is co-hosted by the Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center and the MPTN Education Department.

Rebecca Lord Gomez shares, “We have an opportunity to positively impact American schools with this program. The more access our nation’s teachers have to high-quality resources from the Indigenous perspective, the better they’ll be able to guide their students through content that has historically been very poorly taught—if taught at all. The goal is to cultivate more culturally intelligent, compassionate and informed teachers, as they are the ones inspiring the next generation of American philosopher citizens.”

By independently funding this year’s Institute, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation affirms its long-standing commitment to education and cultural preservation. The Pequot Neepun Teacher Institute reflects the Nation’s dedication to empowering educators and inspiring future generations to engage with Indigenous history in meaningful and transformative ways.

For more details, visit www.pequotmuseum.org and www.pequoteducation.com.

About the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
The Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation is a federally recognized Indian tribe located in southeastern Connecticut. As pioneers of the Indian casino gaming industry, the history of the Mashantucket Pequots reveals one of American’s greatest come-back stories which is featured at the world-renowned Mashantucket Pequot Museum and Research Center. Today, the Tribe owns and operates one of the largest gaming resorts in North America, Foxwoods Resort Casino, along with a variety of complementary business enterprises, including Connecticut’s premiere luxury golf experience, Lake of the Isles and the decadent Spa at Norwich Inn. The Tribe’s health and wellness company, Pequot Health Care, is an industry leader in tribal and commercial health plan management and pharmaceutical services. As one of the highest revenue contributors and largest employers in Connecticut, the Mashantucket Pequots have hosted millions of visitors and provided billions in slot revenue payments to the State. The Tribe has also contributed millions in donations and sponsorships to support worthy charities, community events and programs, and other tribes in need, locally and throughout the United States. Dedicated to our future generations inheriting clean beautiful land, a safe community and a strong economy, we remain committed to promoting spirituality, strong family values, education, social stability, economic independence, and the wellbeing of our Tribal Members, employees and guests in a healthy and supportive environment. Our ultimate goal is to protect and advance our sovereign rights in order to build and preserve a cultural, social and economic foundation that can never be undermined or destroyed.
To learn more about the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation, please visit us at www.mptn-nsn.gov.