FEBRUARY 2021

DENA’INA ACTIVIST ALICE E. BROWN DIED Born in Kenai, District of Alaska, on May 11, 1912, Alice was a member of the Kenaitze tribe of Dena’ina peoples and a Native rights … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 1, 1973”

TAINO CACIQUE HATUEY–CUBA’S FIRST NATIONAL HERO–EXECUTED Hatuey, a Taíno Cacique (Chief), fled his native Hispanola for Cuba with other Taíno in 1511 to warn Cubans about Spanish explorer Diego Velásquez who … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 2, 1512”

CHINOOK-SCOT LINGUIST RANALD MacDONALD BORN Born in Fort Astoria, Oregon, of Chinook and Scottish parents, Ranald wanted to see Japan, but, in the 1840s, the penalty for foreigners intentionally going there … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 3, 1824”

INUIT ARTIST PUDLO PUDLAT BORN Born on Baffin Island, Northwest Territories, Pudlat was one of the most original modern Inuit artists.  Initially a hunter and fisherman, in the late 1950s, he … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 4, 1916”

MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL PLAYER RUDY YORK DIED Born August 17, 1913, in Ragland, Alabama, Preston Rudy York, of Cherokee ancestry, grew up in Cartersville, Georgia.  A fearsome hitter, managers had to … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 5, 1970”

SQUAMISH LEADER, ACTIVIST, LACROSSE COACH XWECHTÁAL (ANDY PAULL) BORN Born at Burrard Inlet, British Columbia, Paull’s Squamish name means “Serpent Slayer.”  In 1907, he began learning the law, but never was … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 6, 1892”

GUARANI LEADER SEPÉ TIARAJU KILLED IN GUARANI WAR Sepé Tiaraju was an 18th century Guarani leader who died defending indigenous lands from Spanish and Portuguese armies.  He became the first Indian … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 7, 1756”

GENERAL SHERIDAN ORDERS BEGINNING OF THE GREAT SIOUX WAR In July 1874, Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer went into the Black Hills to find a site for a military post.  He … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 8, 1876”

PRINCESS KEʻELIKŌLANI-ROYAL GOVERNOR OF THE ISLAND OF HAWAI’I–BORN Great-granddaughter of Kamehameha I, Ruth Luka Keanolani Kauanahoahoa Keʻelikōlani was born in Pohukaina, O‘ahu.  At age 16, she married William Pitt Leleiōhoku and, … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 9, 1826”

INTERNATIONALLY-ACCLAIMED JAZZ TENOR SAXOPHONIST JIM PEPPER DIED Born to Creek and Kaw parents in Salem, Oregon on June 18, 1941, James Gilbert Pepper moved to New York City in 1964 and … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 10, 1992”

CREE LINGUIST AND AUTHOR FREDA AHENAKEW BORN Born on Ahtahkakoop Reserve in Saskatchewan, Ahenakew helped preserve the Cree language.  Leaving high school to marry, she later returned to school, graduated (1969), … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 11, 1932”

SECOND TREATY OF INDIAN SPRINGS—FRAUDULENT TREATY By 1800, Creek territory covered Georgia, Alabama, and northern Florida–land desired by whites.  In 1802, Georgia ceded claims to modern Alabama and Mississippi in return … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 12, 1825”

WINNEBEGO ACTRESS LILLIAN ST. CYR (RED WING) BORN St. Cyr was born on Nebraska’s Ho-Chunk Reservation.  When her mother died, she was sent to Carlisle Indian Industrial School.  On April 9th, 1906, she … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 13, 1884”

KIDNAPPING OF KING KALANI’OPU’U AND THE DEATH OF CAPTAIN JAMES COOK In January 1778, Captain James Cook first encountered the Hawaiian Islands.  He was welcomed with honor by Native Hawaiians fascinated … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 14, 1779”

KOYUKON ATHABASCAN CHAMPION SPRINT DOG MUSHER GEORGE ATTLA DIED Born August 8, 1933, near Koyukuk, Alaska, George began mushing in the 1950s and quickly became a legendary open-class sprint dog racer.  … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 15, 2015”

“ELIZABETH PERATROVICH DAY” MARKS ALASKAN ANTI-DISCRIMINATION ACT OF 1945 In Alaska, this date marks the anniversary of the signing of the Alaska Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945, while also honoring Elizabeth, the … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 16, ANNUALLY”

NAVAJO U.S ARMY SERGEANT JOE KIEYOOMIA DIED—SURVIVED BATAAN AND NAGASAKI Born November 21, 1919, Army Sergeant Joe Kieyoomia was with the 200th Coast Artillery in the Philippines when the islands fell … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 17, 1997”

NAVAJO RUG WEAVER CLARA NEZBAH GOULD SHERMAN BORN Born near the Toadlena-Newcomb area in New Mexico, she and her sister, Yazzie, herded sheep and cattle for their family.  Before she was … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 18, 1914”

SANTEE DAKOTA AUTHOR/DOCTOR OHIYE S’A (CHARLES ALEXANDER EASTMAN) BORN Eastman (whose Dakota name meant “Always Wins”) was a famed author and lecturer in the early 1900s.  With the 1862 Dakota Uprising, … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 19, 1858”

CREE FOLK MUSICIAN BUFFY SAINTE-MARIE BORN Born in Saskatchewan, adopted and raised in New England, Buffy was influential in Greenwich Village and Toronto folk music scenes for her song Universal Soldier … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 20, 1941”

FIRST EDITION OF THE CHEROKEE PHOENIX PRINTED—FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN NEWSPAPER In the 1820s, the Cherokee were pressured to move west of the Mississippi River.  The Cherokee General Council created the Cherokee … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 21, 1828”

GEORGE WASHINGTON PILIPŌ–HAWAIIAN MINISTER/LEGISLATOR/REBEL–BORN An influential member of the Hawaiian House of Representatives from 1860 to 1884, Pilipō was known as “Ka Liona o Kona Akau”, or “The Lion of North … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 22, 1828”

PIMA IRA HAYES AND BITTERROOT SALISH CHARLES CHARLO RAISE FLAGS ON IWO JIMA The U.S. flag being raised at Iwo Jima by U.S. Marines is one of the most famous war-images … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 23, 1945”

PACHEEDAHT ACTIVIST TSEYBAYOTL (HARRIET NAHANEE) DIED AFTER CUSTODY Harriet Nahanee, Indigenous rights activist and environmental activist, died in Vancouver, British Columbia, following serving a two-week sentence in a provincial jail in … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 24, 2007”

NATIVE HAWAIIAN MOVIE ACTRESS WINI SHAW BORN Born Winifred Lei Momi in San Francisco to parents of Hawaiian and Irish descent, she started her show career as a child in her … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 25, 1907”

CANADIAN DOMINION ELECTIONS ACT PASSED–EXCLUDES INUIT & FIRST NATIONS The Dominion Elections Act, on face, gave the federal vote to every eligible Canadian over 21, male or female.  Treaty Aboriginal people … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 26, 1920”

AMERICAN INDIAN MOVEMENT OCCUPATION OF WOUNDED KNEE BEGINS Native Americans, led by the American Indian Movement (AIM), occupied Wounded Knee on the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota, site of the 1890 … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 27, 1973”

NAVAJO CHIEF NARBONA AMBUSHES MEXICAN SLAVE EXPEDITION IN CHUSKA MOUNTAINS During the early 1800s, the Navajo raided Mexican territory and attacked traders using the Santa Fe Trail.  The Mexicans raided the … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 28, 1835”