Background
Ruoff, A. LaVonne Brown was born on April 10, 1930 in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Daughter of Oscar and Laura Alice (Witters) Brown.
Ruoff, A. LaVonne Brown was born on April 10, 1930 in Charleston, Illinois, United States. Daughter of Oscar and Laura Alice (Witters) Brown.
Student, University Illinois, Chicago, 1948—1950. Bachelor of Science in Education, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1953. Master of Arts in English, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1954.
Doctor of Philosophy in English, Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, 1966.
Instructor to assistant professor Roosevelt University, Chicago, 1961—1966. Assistant professor English University Illinois, 1966—1969, associate professor, 1969—1981, professor, 1981—1994, professor emerita, 1994. Interim director D'Arcy McNickle Center for American Indian History, Newberry Library., 1999-2000.
Editor American Indian Lives series University Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1985—2008. Member American literature committee International Exchange of Scholars, Washington, 1987-1990, chair, 1989-1990. National Endowment of the Humanities director Summer Seminars for College Teacher on American Indian Literature, 1979, 83, 89, 94.
Board director American Indian Council Fire Chicago, 1980-1988. Member of Modern Language Association (chair discussion group American Indian literature 1990, co-chair literature of people of color committee 2000-2001, executive council 2002-2005, delegate assembly organizing committee 2004-2005, radio committee 2006-2009, chairman radio committee 2007-2009, award for lifetime scholarly achievement 2002), Multi Ethnic Studies Europe and the American mathematical society, Association for Study of America Indian Lits., Multi-Ethnic Literature in the United States, American Studies Association.
Married Milford Anthony Prasher, August 19, 1950 (divorced 1964). Married Gene W. Ruoff, June 10, 1967. Children: Stephen Charles, Sharon Louise(deceased).