Lee Francis

Elias Lee Francis III (ca. 1945 – 7 July 2003) was a Laguna Pueblo-Anishinaabe poet, educator, and founder of the Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers.

Lee Francis was born circa 1945 in Cubero, New Mexico. He was one of five children of Elias Lee Francis II (1913-2001), Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico from 1967 to 1971 and of Lebanese heritage, and Ethel Haines (1916-1991), a Native American of Laguna Pueblo/Anishinaabe and Scottish descent. His older sister, Paula Gunn Allen née Paula Marie Francis (1939-2008) became UCLA professor of English and American Indian studies and one of the foremost voices in Native American literature.

Lee Francis received his PhD from Western Institute for Social Research, Berkeley, CA and his MA and BA degrees from San Francisco State University. His university appointments included Visiting Associate Professor at the University of New Mexico and Interim Director of Native American Studies department, and the American Studies program at the American University, Washington, DC, where he also served as Director of the Washington Internships for Native Students (WINS) program. He also served as Director of the Pre-Engineering Intensive Learning Academy for Native students at California State University, Long Beach, Student Affairs Officer at University of California Santa Barbara, Associate Director of the Educational Opportunity Program at San Francisco State University, and Senior Faculty with Meta-Life Adult Professional Training Institute.

Lee was the National Director of Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers and Storytellers of Albuquerque, New Mexico since 1992. He served on the Diversity Committee of the United Way of America, and was an active member in a variety of organizations including the National Coalition for Indian Education and the National Indian Education Association. Lee's expertise in Native American Studies areas included: Literature (Oral and Contemporary), History, Contemporary Society (Political - American Indian Policies; Social - Reservation and Non-Reservation; Native Americans and State/Federal Relations; Health).

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