Indian Men and Women
Of those representing the olden days, there were a large number who achieved more or less prominence. I am very sorry that space forbids a consideration of their careers in this book. I present a partial list of their names, and if readers will consult the Handbook of American Indians, short biographical sketches of most of these will be found. The negro has produced far fewer great men than the Indian, yet the negro has always vastly outnumbered the former. During forty years there has been practically no discrimination against the black man save in the South. His educational advantages in the North have been many, and his opportunities multitudinous. Slavery retarded him in a sense, yet slavery taught him enforced industry—which the Indian has never had. We would therefore, expect a larger proportion of prominent negro men and women.
Omitting those previously mentioned in this book, we have: American Horse, Oglala Sioux; Big Mouth, Brulé Sioux; Black Beaver, Delaware; Black Kettle, Cheyenne; Bloody Knife, Arikara; Chas. Curtis, Kaw; Chas. D. Carter, Chickasaw; George Copway, Chippewa; Francisco, Yuma; Gall, Sioux; John Grass, Sioux; Hollow-horn Bear, Brulé Sioux; Peter Jones, Missisauga; Kanakuk, Kickapoo; Kamaiakan, Yakima; Keokuk, Sauk; Kicking Bird, Kiowa; Kintpuash (Capt. Jack), Modoc; Leschi, Nisqualli; Little Crow, Sioux; Little Raven, Arapaho; Little Thunder, Brulé Sioux; Little Wound, Sioux; Lone Wolf, Kiowa; Mahtoiowa (Whirling Bear), Brulé Sioux; Many Horses, Piegan; Joel B. Mayes, Cherokee; Nagonub, Chippewa; Nakaidoklini, Apache; Namequa, Sauk; Nana, Apache; Napeshneeduta, Sioux; Nawah, Apache; Albert Negahnquet, Potawatomie; Ojibwa, Ojibwa; Oronhyatekha, Mohawk; John Otherday, Sioux; Ouray, Ute; Eli Samuel Parker, Seneca; Quana Parker, Comanche; Peter Perkins Pitchlynn, Choctaw; Pizhiki (Buffalo), Chippewa; Simon Pokagon, Potawatomi; Pleasant Porter, Creek; Alexander Lawrence Posey, Creek; John W. Quinney, Stockbridge; Rain-in-the-Face, Sioux; Red Horn, Piegan; Red Iron Band, Sioux; Gabriel Renville, Sioux; Roman Nose, Cheyenne; John Ross, Cherokee; Sassaba, Chippewa; Satanta, Kiowa; Scarface Charlie, Modoc; Schonchin, Modoc; John Sunday, Chippewa; Souligny, Menominee; Standing Bear, Ponca; Tamaha, Sioux; Tendoy, Bannock; Solimon Two-stars, Sioux; Wabanaquot (White Cloud), Chippewa; James D. Wafford, Cherokee; Wamditanka (Great War Eagle), Sioux; Wapasha, Sioux; Washakie, Shoshoni; Eleazar Williams, Iroquois; Winema (Woman Chief), Modoc; Wopohwats, Cheyenne; Allen Wright, Choctaw; Yellow Thunder, Winnebago.
Doctor Charles A. Eastman—than whom there is no more competent judge of the Plains Indians of 1850–1890—has informed me that next to Red Cloud and Sitting Bull, he considers Spotted Tail and Crazy Horse (Sioux) two of the greatest Indians of modern times.
In addition to the Indians, both educated and not, whose names have been presented in this Indian History, there occur two who were particularly prominent in helping their own people.
Bright Eyes (Susette La Flesche) was born in Nebraska about 1850. She was educated at a mission school on the Omaha reservation, and later at a private school in Elizabeth, N. J. In 1877–78 the Ponca were forcibly removed to Indian Territory from their home on Niobrara reservation, South Dakota. In order to bring Indian removals before the public, Standing Bear, accompanied by Susette La Flesche and her brother, visited the principal cities of the United States, where her appeals for humanity toward her race aroused the interest of thousands. As a result, a request was urged on the Government that there be no more removals of tribes, and this request has been respected, when practicable. She was very active with her pen until her death in 1902. She was considered one of the brightest Indian women of modern times.
Sarah Winnemucca, a Paiute, was born in Nevada in 1844. She became interpreter to Government officials, and served General O. O. Howard as scout in the Bannock War of 1877, when no Indian man would penetrate the country occupied by the hostiles. She lectured in the East in the eighties, and wrote a book on the Paiute’s wrongs. She died in 1891, after a remarkable career.
A score of others might be included as worthy of a place in an Indian biography.
Mr. Leupp in his book stated that people were continually asking him this question: “Will the Indians produce a Booker T. Washington?”
It is quite possible for the Indians to produce a national character. There is a splendid work to be done by such a person. For more than a century we have labored in educating Indians, yet we have not produced a single great man or woman. Do not misunderstand me. I mean a truly great Indian, one of the stamp of Tecumseh, Chief Joseph, Red Cloud, Sacagawea, or Sequoya. The latter was trained and educated fifty years before we devoted any attention to Indian progress, and his alphabet, his attainments, and his reputation are due to his own efforts rather than to us. What woman have we of the fame of Sacagawea, the poor Shoshoni, who guided Lewis and Clark to the Pacific ocean? Not one. Excepting Clara Barton, the noble Civil War nurse, and a few other American women, we have no person, even among white women, who underwent such dangers and privations, or stood forth more clearly as a brave and heroic character than this same Sacagawea. We have produced a great many noble Indians, men and women, prominent, but not to be considered truly great.
One may not misrepresent, if one claims that the Indian great men and women are of the past. There will not arise a Booker Washington, unless some strong, able Indian champions the cause of his people in the large sense. There are a number of young, bright Indians, chief among whom is Mr. Henry Roe-Cloud, and one or two others. But most of the educated Indians are concerned with other than Indian matters. None of them may be said to have entered the public arena as a dominant figure. If an educated Indian should give up his entire time to working for his people, as Doctor Grenfell works for the fishermen of Labrador, he would become famous. It has always been a surprise to me that the educated Indians have not seen this opportunity and availed themselves of it. Hundreds of the educated Indians are teachers, ministers, or Government employees. All of them are, as everybody knows, upright and able. But there is a vast difference between a position held by these excellent gentlemen, and a position that might be held by one of their own in standing as a true sponsor for the Red Race in America, and in an intelligent and forceful manner presenting the needs and aims of his race. Such a man should present an uncompromising front against graft and incompetency. A mediocre man could not attain to this position, but given the opportunity, there is no reason under the sun why some educated Indian should not go down into history as a truly great man.
It is quite incomprehensible that so many of our educated Indians are timid. All of them realize the dreadful situation of many of their brothers in the West. A few have referred, in a more or less guarded fashion, to the wrongs of Indians. Dr. Eastman is especially frank upon this subject—as is Dr. Montezuma. Admitting so much, it remains to be said that not one has come before the American public as a stern, able, uncompromising fighter for the rights of his race.
The Indians need a national character. The moment that an Indian of exceptional ability, presence and strength appears on the platform, and through the press, becomes the champion of his race, the American people will rally to his support. But if such an Indian is chiefly concerned in furthering the interests of some society, or missionary organization, or of a single tribe of Indians; and if he presents mere denunciations and does not suggest proper remedies, he will achieve no great success.
The Society of American Indians is doing a good work, but in my humble opinion, it might accomplish far greater results if in addition to its advocacy of new laws, the division of Indian money, etc., its powerful organization began a fight through the medium of some selected champion, for the full protection of Indian rights and an effective, and not a paper citizenship.
LARGE INDIAN HOUSE, FORT BERTHOLD RESERVATION. FAMILY OF SIX