For over four centuries, the legend of Pocahontas (Matoaka) has gripped the American psyche. Most of us grew up with the endearing legend of Pocahontas throwing herself over John Smith to save his life before possible execution.

 Rarely is the rest of her story shared though. How many of us today know about her life as the daughter of Powhatan, chief of the Powhatan tribe in what is today the Tidewater region of the state of Virginia? Who is aware that she wed John Rolfe, not John Smith, after she was kidnapped by English colonists?

 Longtime City of Allen employee Tom Keener will separate the biography of Pocahontas from the traditional myth that surrounds her life at 7:30 p.m. Thursday, July 17, at the Allen Heritage Village’s Allen Christian Church, 450 E. St. Mary Dr. 

Sharing the story of Pocahontas has been a lifelong passion for Tom. As a boy, he was told there was a familial connection to Pocahontas through his Bolling lineage. Pocahontas and John Rolfe had one son, Thomas. He married Jane Poythress and they had a daughter named Jane who would wed Col. Robert Thomas Bolling.

Tom observes, “Pocahontas is a classic heroine; she makes decisions to chart her own path and endures probable pressures to conform to the desires of others. It is a story of adventure, leaving home, colonialism, interaction and collision of cultures, and, above all, love.”

Employed with the City of Allen for 42 years, Tom has facilitated the production of over 500 videos available on ACTV and penned over 100 articles regarding American history.

Call 214-509-4911 for additional information.  Sponsored by the Allen Public Library and Collin County Genealogical Society, the program is free.