notable native american/american indians
Eliza burton "lyda" Conley
(1874-1946)
Lyda Conley was born in 1874 in Zanesville, Ohio to a Native
American/American Indian mother and White/European father. In 1902, she graduated from Kansas City School of Law and was the first woman admitted to the Kansas bar. She and her sister Helena were active in civic and public life. They lived in a house in Kansas City together, where they remained the rest of their lives. In 1906, the US Government tried to buy Native American/ American Indian land that housed a century-old burial ground of the Wyandotte tribe. Because many of her friends and relatives had been buried there, Lyda, with her sister Helena protested the confiscation of the land and put up “No Trespassing Signs” around the ground. She and Helena took turns standing guard on the grounds and guarded the cemetery with a shotgun.
In 1907, Lyda pleaded her case in the Supreme Court, becoming the first female Native American/American Indian lawyer to be admitted in front of the Supreme Court. The Court ruled against her initially, but in 1913 repealed the bill authoring the sale of the cemetery. Senator Charles Curtis passed a bill in 1916 that designated the burial ground as a federal park. For the rest of her life, Lyda acted as a guardian of the burial grounds and took care of the animals that lived there. She died in 1946.
Lyda Conley was born in 1874 in Zanesville, Ohio to a Native
American/American Indian mother and White/European father. In 1902, she graduated from Kansas City School of Law and was the first woman admitted to the Kansas bar. She and her sister Helena were active in civic and public life. They lived in a house in Kansas City together, where they remained the rest of their lives. In 1906, the US Government tried to buy Native American/ American Indian land that housed a century-old burial ground of the Wyandotte tribe. Because many of her friends and relatives had been buried there, Lyda, with her sister Helena protested the confiscation of the land and put up “No Trespassing Signs” around the ground. She and Helena took turns standing guard on the grounds and guarded the cemetery with a shotgun.
In 1907, Lyda pleaded her case in the Supreme Court, becoming the first female Native American/American Indian lawyer to be admitted in front of the Supreme Court. The Court ruled against her initially, but in 1913 repealed the bill authoring the sale of the cemetery. Senator Charles Curtis passed a bill in 1916 that designated the burial ground as a federal park. For the rest of her life, Lyda acted as a guardian of the burial grounds and took care of the animals that lived there. She died in 1946.
Gary Paul davis
(1969-Present)
Gary Paul Davis was born March 1, 1969 and is better known by his stage name Litefoot. He is a Native American/American Indian rapper and actor as well as the founder of the Red Vinyl record label. Litefoot was born Gary Paul Davis in Upland, California. He was raised in Tulsa, OK and is of mixed Cherokee and Chichimeca (northern Mexican indigenous) ancestry. He has lived in Seattle, WA since 1997. He is married to Carmen Davis and has two sons. Litefoot was not the first Native American/American Indian to perform rap music, but he is the first to do so while openly acknowledging his indigenous roots. His early recordings are a mix between hip-hop and his own native culture. He has won six Native American Music Awards including Artist of the year. In addition to music, he has appeared in Hollywood films like The Indian in the Cupboard, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Kull the Conqueror and Adaptation. He has also made appearances in several independent films as well as on television programs like CSI: Miami and Family Law.
Gary Paul Davis was born March 1, 1969 and is better known by his stage name Litefoot. He is a Native American/American Indian rapper and actor as well as the founder of the Red Vinyl record label. Litefoot was born Gary Paul Davis in Upland, California. He was raised in Tulsa, OK and is of mixed Cherokee and Chichimeca (northern Mexican indigenous) ancestry. He has lived in Seattle, WA since 1997. He is married to Carmen Davis and has two sons. Litefoot was not the first Native American/American Indian to perform rap music, but he is the first to do so while openly acknowledging his indigenous roots. His early recordings are a mix between hip-hop and his own native culture. He has won six Native American Music Awards including Artist of the year. In addition to music, he has appeared in Hollywood films like The Indian in the Cupboard, Mortal Kombat: Annihilation, Kull the Conqueror and Adaptation. He has also made appearances in several independent films as well as on television programs like CSI: Miami and Family Law.
John b. herrington
(1958-Present)
The first Native American/American Indian astronaut to fly in outer space, Commander John B. Herrington, a Chickasaw American Indian, first docked with the International Space Station in November of 2002. During this mission, Commander Herrington was also the first
Native American Indian/American Indian to walk in outer space. He was born September 14, 1958 in Wetumka, Oklahoma, but grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Herrington received a Bachelor of Science degree in applied mathematics from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 1983. He also received a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1995. NASA selected him in April of 1996, at which time he began his training to fly on STS-113 in outer space. He was inducted into the Chicksaw Hall of Fame in 2002.
He retired from the Navy and NASA in July of 2005. In 2008, Herrington embarked on a cross-country bicycle ride through the U.S. from Washington to Florida. The ride took three months, from August to November 2008. Currently, he is working for Rocketplane Limited.
The first Native American/American Indian astronaut to fly in outer space, Commander John B. Herrington, a Chickasaw American Indian, first docked with the International Space Station in November of 2002. During this mission, Commander Herrington was also the first
Native American Indian/American Indian to walk in outer space. He was born September 14, 1958 in Wetumka, Oklahoma, but grew up in Colorado Springs, Colorado. Herrington received a Bachelor of Science degree in applied mathematics from the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs in 1983. He also received a Master of Science degree in aeronautical engineering from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1995. NASA selected him in April of 1996, at which time he began his training to fly on STS-113 in outer space. He was inducted into the Chicksaw Hall of Fame in 2002.
He retired from the Navy and NASA in July of 2005. In 2008, Herrington embarked on a cross-country bicycle ride through the U.S. from Washington to Florida. The ride took three months, from August to November 2008. Currently, he is working for Rocketplane Limited.
Winona laduke
(1959-Present)
Born in 1959, Winona LaDuke grew up in Los Angeles, California. She is an enrolled member
of the Mississippi Band Anishnaabeg of the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota.
After meeting Cherokee activist Jimmy Durham as a student at Harvard, Winona involved in Native American environmental issues. She began making a political name for herself at age 18 when she addressed the United Nations on Indian issues. In 1982, after college graduation, she moved to White Earth and founded the White Earth Land Recovery Project to reclaim Anishnaabeg lands that they had promised by an 1867 federal treaty but had been slowly stolen and parceled by the U.S. government because of the logging industry. Although she often found herself losing legal battles, she persevered, securing grants and winning a Reebok Human Rights Award. With these funds, she has reclaimed 1,000 acres and hopes to acquire 30,000 more in the next 15 years. In 1994, Time magazine named LaDuke one of the nation’s 50 most promising leaders under the age of 40. She is currently known as a voice for American Indian economic and environmental concerns both in the United States as well as internationally. She is also an author of books such as Last Standing Woman, All Our Relations, a Winona LaDuke Reader, and In the Sugarbush.
Born in 1959, Winona LaDuke grew up in Los Angeles, California. She is an enrolled member
of the Mississippi Band Anishnaabeg of the White Earth reservation in northern Minnesota.
After meeting Cherokee activist Jimmy Durham as a student at Harvard, Winona involved in Native American environmental issues. She began making a political name for herself at age 18 when she addressed the United Nations on Indian issues. In 1982, after college graduation, she moved to White Earth and founded the White Earth Land Recovery Project to reclaim Anishnaabeg lands that they had promised by an 1867 federal treaty but had been slowly stolen and parceled by the U.S. government because of the logging industry. Although she often found herself losing legal battles, she persevered, securing grants and winning a Reebok Human Rights Award. With these funds, she has reclaimed 1,000 acres and hopes to acquire 30,000 more in the next 15 years. In 1994, Time magazine named LaDuke one of the nation’s 50 most promising leaders under the age of 40. She is currently known as a voice for American Indian economic and environmental concerns both in the United States as well as internationally. She is also an author of books such as Last Standing Woman, All Our Relations, a Winona LaDuke Reader, and In the Sugarbush.
Chief joseph
(1840-1904)
Chief Joseph was born in 1840 in the Wallowa Valley (present-day Oregon). He was given the name Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, or Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain, but was commonly known as Joseph, or Joseph the Younger, because his father was also known as
Joseph after he took the Christian name when he was baptized at the Lapwai mission by Henry Spalding in 1883. He was best known for his resistance to the U.S. Government’s attempts to force his tribe, Nez Perce, onto reservations. The Nez Perce were a peaceful nation spread from Idaho to Northern Washington. The tribe had maintained good relations with the white people after the Lewis and Clark expedition. In 1855, his father, Old Joseph, signed a treaty with the U.S. that allowed his people to retain much of their traditional lands. In 1863, another treaty was created that severely reduced the tribe’s amount of land. A dispute over the second “non-treaty” came after Joseph the Younger assumed his role as Chief in 1877. After months of fighting and forced marches, many Nez Perce were sent to a reservation in what is now Oklahoma, where many of the tribe members died from sickness such as malaria and starvation. Chief Joseph tried every possible appeal to the federal authorities to return the Nez Perce to the land of their ancestors. 1885, he was sent along with many of his band to a reservation in Washington where, according to the reservation doctor, he later died of a broken heart.
Chief Joseph was born in 1840 in the Wallowa Valley (present-day Oregon). He was given the name Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, or Thunder Rolling Down the Mountain, but was commonly known as Joseph, or Joseph the Younger, because his father was also known as
Joseph after he took the Christian name when he was baptized at the Lapwai mission by Henry Spalding in 1883. He was best known for his resistance to the U.S. Government’s attempts to force his tribe, Nez Perce, onto reservations. The Nez Perce were a peaceful nation spread from Idaho to Northern Washington. The tribe had maintained good relations with the white people after the Lewis and Clark expedition. In 1855, his father, Old Joseph, signed a treaty with the U.S. that allowed his people to retain much of their traditional lands. In 1863, another treaty was created that severely reduced the tribe’s amount of land. A dispute over the second “non-treaty” came after Joseph the Younger assumed his role as Chief in 1877. After months of fighting and forced marches, many Nez Perce were sent to a reservation in what is now Oklahoma, where many of the tribe members died from sickness such as malaria and starvation. Chief Joseph tried every possible appeal to the federal authorities to return the Nez Perce to the land of their ancestors. 1885, he was sent along with many of his band to a reservation in Washington where, according to the reservation doctor, he later died of a broken heart.
maria tallchief
(1925-present)
Maria Tallchief is a ballet dancer, teacher and artistic director. She was born Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief to an Osage Nation father on January 24, 1925 in Fairfax, Oklahoma. She was one of the country’s leading ballerinas from the 1940s to the 1960s and was a trailblazer for Native American/American Indians in the world of ballet. She grew up in Los Angeles, California and danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She joined the New York City Ballet in 1948 and became a popular figure in ballet, performing in works such as Miss Julie, Firebird and The Nutcracker. She earned strong reviews for her technical precision, musicality and strength. In 1957, she married Henry Paschen and took some time away from ballet after the birth of their daughter. She soon returned to the New York City Ballet and also performed with the American Ballet Theatre as a guest. She retired in 1966 and since has worked with the Lyric Opera Ballet and the Chicago City Ballet which she helped found. In 1996, she received the Kennedy Center Honors for her contributions to the arts. Since 1997, she has been an adviser in the Chicago dance schools and continues to astound future dancers with her always-ahead-of-her-skill abilities.
Maria Tallchief is a ballet dancer, teacher and artistic director. She was born Elizabeth Marie Tall Chief to an Osage Nation father on January 24, 1925 in Fairfax, Oklahoma. She was one of the country’s leading ballerinas from the 1940s to the 1960s and was a trailblazer for Native American/American Indians in the world of ballet. She grew up in Los Angeles, California and danced with the Ballet Russe de Monte Carlo. She joined the New York City Ballet in 1948 and became a popular figure in ballet, performing in works such as Miss Julie, Firebird and The Nutcracker. She earned strong reviews for her technical precision, musicality and strength. In 1957, she married Henry Paschen and took some time away from ballet after the birth of their daughter. She soon returned to the New York City Ballet and also performed with the American Ballet Theatre as a guest. She retired in 1966 and since has worked with the Lyric Opera Ballet and the Chicago City Ballet which she helped found. In 1996, she received the Kennedy Center Honors for her contributions to the arts. Since 1997, she has been an adviser in the Chicago dance schools and continues to astound future dancers with her always-ahead-of-her-skill abilities.