- FEBRUARY 1, ANNUALLYMEXICAN PURÉPECHA CELEBRATE JIMBANI UEXURHINA—NEW YEAR The Purépechas of the northwestern region of Michoacán, Mexico, celebrate the night of the 1st and the 2nd of February as the new year, with … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 1, ANNUALLY”
- FEBRUARY 2, 1856CHEROKEE ROBERT LATHAM OWEN BORN—U.S. SENATOR FROM OKLAHOMA Born in Lynchburg, Virginia, Owen’s mother was an enrolled Cherokee. Owen attended private schools in Lynchburg & Baltimore, but at age 16, after … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 2, 1856”
- FEBRUARY 3, 1874HAWAIIAN WILLIAM CHARLES LUNALILO (KING LUNALILO) DIED Born on January 31, 1835, in Honolulu, his parents were a High Chief & Chiefess. A grandnephew of Kamehameha I, his cousins were Kings Kamehameha IV … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 3, 1874”
- FEBRUARY 4, 1916INUIT ARTIST PUDLO PUDLAT BORN Pudlat, born on Baffin Island, Northwest Territories, was one of the most original modern Inuit artists. Initially a hunter and fisherman, in the late 1950s, he … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 4, 1916”
- FEBRUARY 5, 628REPUTED-MAYAN AJAW (COPAN) K’AK’ CHAN YOPAAT DIED Kʼakʼ Chan Yopaat was the eleventh dynastic ruler at Copán. He was crowned as king in AD 578, 24 days after the death of Tzi-Bʼalam. At the time of … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 5, 628”
- FEBRUARY 6, 1952SANTA CLARA PUEBLO POTTER PAUL SPECKLED ROCK BORN Son and grandson of noted Santa Clara Pueblo potters Tonita Tafoya & Severa Tafoya, Paul changed his name to Speckled Rock after graduating … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 6, 1952”
- FEBRUARY 7, 1827HAWAIIAN HIGH CHIEF WILLIAM PITT KALANIMOKU DIED Born at Kauiki, Maui, circa 1768, he was a grandson of Kekaulike, King of Maui. Adopting the name William Pitt after his contemporary, the Prime Minister of Great … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 7, 1827”
- FEBRUARY 8, 1881MOHAWK LEADER AND METHODIST MISSIONARY SOSÉ (JOSEPH ONASAKENRAT) DIED Born September 4, 1845, near the Roman Catholic mission of Lac-des-Deux-Montagnes (Oka), the name “Onasakenrat” meant “Swan” or “White Feather.” In 1860, … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 8, 1881”
- FEBRUARY 9, 1945PFC JOHN N. REESE, JR. KILLED IN MANILA—EARNS MEDAL OF HONOR Born in Muskogee, Oklahoma (OK), June 13, 1923, John, who has been identified as being either Cherokee, Choctaw, or Muskogee … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 9, 1945”
- FEBRUARY 10, 1747MI’KMAQ & MALISEET HELP FRENCH CAPTURE GRAND PRE’ NOVA SCOTIA During the North American front of the “War of Austrian Succession,” Grand Pré, Nova Scotia (NS), had been the staging ground for … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 10, 1747”
- FEBRUARY 11, 1798CHEROKEE LEADER CHIEF JOSEPH VANN BORN Vann, born in Murray County, Georgia, was the son of Chief James Vann. In 1809, Joseph was present as his father, then the dominant chief in … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 11, 1798”
- FEBRUARY 12, 1524BATTLE OF THE VALLEY OF QUETZALTENANGO In November 1523, Hernán Cortés sent Captain Don Pedro de Alvarado to conquer the lands south of Mexico. In 1524, Alvarado allied himself with the … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 12, 1524”
- FEBRUARY 13, 1942MARGOLD OPINION HELPS SPARK ALASKA NATIVE LAND CLAIMS In United States v. Santa Fe Pacific Railroad Company, 314 U.S. 349 (1941), the U.S. Supreme Court held that the 1881 creation of … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 13, 1942”
- FEBRUARY 14, 1779KIDNAPPING 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”
- FEBRUARY 15, 1946YANKTON ACTIVIST JOHN TRUDELL BORN Trudell, born in Omaha, Nebraska, served in the Navy during the Vietnam War. With the “United Indians of All Tribes” at the 1969 Alcatraz occupation, he … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 15, 1946”
- FEBRUARY 16, ANNUALLY“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”
- FEBRUARY 17, 1881SEMINOLE LEADER JOHN CHUPCO DIED Born in Florida circa 1821, Chupco led the Hvteyievike Band when it was removed to Indian Territory after the 3rd Seminole War (1855–58). In August 1861, … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 17, 1881”
- FEBRUARY 18, 1956BRAZILIAN YANOMAMI RAINFORST ACTIVIST DAVI KOPENAWA YANOMAMI BORN Davi, born in the Amazon state of Roraima, was orphaned when government workers & religious missionaries brought diseases to his isolated community. When … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 18, 1956”
- FEBRUARY 19, 1858NISQUALLY CHIEF LESCHI HANGED WRONGLY FOR MURDER Born in 1808 to a Nisqually chief & a Klicktikat woman, Leschi, as chief, signed the Medicine Creek Treaty of 1854 under protest as … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 19, 1858”
- FEBRUARY 20, 1941MI’KMAQ MARY ROSE-ANNA (TRAVERS) BOLDUC DIED-QUEEN OF CANADA FOLK MUSIC La Bolduc was born June 4, 1894 in Newport, Gaspésie, Quebec. Her mother was of Mi’kmaq descent. Leaving home at 13, … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 20, 1941”
- FEBRUARY 21, 1753ATTACK AT MOCODOME ENDS MI’KMAQ PEACE WITH NOVA SCOTIA To prevent establishment of British settlements, the French & the Wabanaki Confederacy (including the Mi’kmaq tribe) tangled with British settlers from 1688 … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 21, 1753”
- FEBRUARY 22, 1828GEORGE WASHINGTON PILIPŌ BORN–HAWAIIAN MINISTER/LEGISLATOR/REBEL 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 … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 22, 1828”
- FEBRUARY 23, 1888RICHARD CHARLES HARDESTY FIRST MÉTIS APPOINTED TO CANADIAN SENATE Born on March 3, 1831, at Fort Mistassini, near James Bay at the bottom of Hudson Bay, Hardisty was the son and … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 23, 1888”
- FEBRUARY 24, 1974FAMED PAIUTE BASKET WEAVER CARRIE McGOWAN BETHEL DIED Born in 1898 in Lee Vining, California, Carrie, a Mono Lake Paiute – Kucadikadi, began making baskets at age 12. She participated in … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 24, 1974”
- FEBRUARY 25, 1946U.S. SUPREME COURT DECIDES DUNCAN V. KAHANAMOKU–NO COURT-MARTIAL JURISDICTION OVER CIVILIANS IN WORLD WAR II While former Olympic swimming great Duke Kahanamoku was a military police officer during World War II, he arrested Lloyd C. Duncan, … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 25, 1946”
- FEBRUARY 26, 1907LAKOTA LAKOTAWIN (ROSEBUD YELLOW ROBE) BORN–RADIO ACTOR, AUTHOR, EDUCATOR Born in Rapid City, South Dakota, her father was educator Chief Chauncey Yellow Robe. From 1925-27, Rosebud attended the University of South Dakota (USD). … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 26, 1907”
- FEBRUARY 27, 1934KIOWA POET N. SCOTT MOMADAY BORN Momaday’s mother was part Cherokee; father, full-blooded Kiowa. Raised in Arizona, Scott learned Kiowa, Navajo, Apache & Pueblo traditions. With a Bachelor’s degree from Univ. of … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 27, 1934”
- FEBRUARY 28, 1932SALVADORAN PIPIL REBEL LEADER JOSE FELICIANO AMA HANGED FromIzalco, El Salvador, Ama was a day laborer. In 1917, he became a leader of the Pipil brotherhood Cofradía del Corpus Christi. Ama had … Continue reading “FEBRUARY 28, 1932”