Ticasuk (Emily) Ivanoff BrownTicasuk (Emily Ivanoff Brown) was born in Unalakleet, Alaska, in 1904. Her mother was Iñupiaq and her father was of Russian-American-English heritage. After earning her teacher's certificate in Oregon, she taught in Kotzebue for two years and then atended nursing school in Seattle so that she could work on correcting health problems in Alaska Native villages. She married Robert Brown, whom she had met in Seattle, and they had three sons before he died young. She taught in the Kotzebue and Unalakleet schools for over thirty years, and was an early promoter of bilingual education. She received many awards for her work in education and preserving Native culture: the Governor's Award, Alaskan of the Year, 1969; Distinguished Alumnus of the Year, University of Alaska, 1970; Woman of the Year, National Federation of Press Women, 1974; and a Presidential Commendation for "exceptional service to others in the finest American tradition," from President Nixon. She received her honorary Doctor of Humanities degree posthumously, six days after her death. Read More Read Less