Historian

Dee Niette Thompson, better known to family and friends as “Mama Dee” is the historian, archivist, genealogist, and tribal councilwoman of the Adai Caddo Indian Nation. She is in the process of digitizing the petition and petition books, crucial for documentation purposes, and manages the ancestry database.

Mama Dee was born in the CENLA community of Robeline in the heart of the Adai Caddo community of Laguna de los Adaes (also known as Spanish Lake).

After graduating from Northwood High School, she joined Western Electric, a division of AT&T in Shreveport. As the computer industry began to grow, the company sponsored her to take advanced courses at Louisiana State University and Louisiana Tech University. She was quickly promoted through the ranks in data entry, records, and archiving. After 30 years, she retired from the company, now known as Avaya Communications.

Mama Dee has always been involved in her community. She was the former president of the Pine Forest Neighborhood Association, former president of the Southern Hills Neighborhood Association, and former board member of the Northwest Family Justice Center that assisted victims of sexual assault. She previously served as a volunteer police officer for the Shreveport Police Department. Her other past volunteer activities include Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Caddo Parish Animal Shelter, and Robinson’s Rescue Spay and Neuter. She currently volunteers at the Baldwin County Animal Rescue in Fairhope, Alabama.

In 2020, she was appointed as the archivist for the Adai Caddo Indian Nation. Over the years, her role has greatly expanded. Today, she is a tribal councilwoman. She is the tribe’s historian, genealogist, and editor. As a certified genealogist, she oversees the tribe’s team of genealogists and plays a key role in the tribe’s membership rolls. 

In 2024, for her outstanding and selfless service she was awarded the Adai Caddo Indian Nation’s highest honor: the Chief Rufus Joseph Davis Jr. Award. The award was presented at a ceremony during the annual Adai Caddo Powwow by Chief John Mark Davis (son of Chief Rufus).