JUNE 2022

KINTPUASH (CAPTAIN JACK) SURRENDERS—ENDS MODOC WAR An 1864 treaty forced the Klamath and Modoc tribes onto a joint reservation which split the Modoc.  “Old Schonchin’s” band remained; his brother, John, and … Continue reading “JUNE 1, 1873”

POPE PAUL III ISSUES ENCYCLICAL SUBLIMIS DEI FORBIDDING ENSLAVEMENT OF INDIANS In 1452, seeking to aid the Byzantine Emperor against the siege of Constantinople by Ottomans, Pope Nicholas V issued Papal … Continue reading “JUNE 2, 1537”

MUSCOGEE MOVIE ACTOR KVSKVNA (WILL ‘SONNY’ SAMPSON) DIED Born September 27, 1933, in Okmulgee, Oklahoma, his name meant “Left-handed.”  Leaving home at age 12, Sonny worked on ranches and did construction … Continue reading “JUNE 3, 1987”

TLINGIT CLARISSA RIZAL BORN—WEAVER, ARTIST, NEA FELLOWSHIP RECIPIENT Born in Juneau, Alaska, Rizal attended both the Institute of American Indian Art in Santa Fe, and the Pilchuck Glass School in Washington.  … Continue reading “JUNE 4, 1956”

KIOWA-COMANCHE TSATE KONGIA (BLACKBEAR BOSIN) BORN—SCULPTOR & PAINTER From Anadarko, Oklahoma, Bosin was exposed during his school years to the paintings of the famed “Kiowa Five.”  Moving to Wichita, Kansas, in … Continue reading “JUNE 5, 1921”

JAPANESE CAPTURE ATTU ISLAND–SHIP ALL ATTU ALEUTS AS POWS. In 1942, there were 44 people living on Attu Island, in Alaska–nearly all Aleut Natives—when Japanese soldiers landed and captured the island.  … Continue reading “JUNE 6, 1942”

OSAGE MAJOR GENERAL CLARENCE L. TINKER KILLED AT MIDWAY Born on November 21, 1887, in the former Osage Nation, Indian Territory, Tinker graduated from Wentworth Military Academy, Lexington, Missouri, in 1908.  … Continue reading “JUNE 7, 1942”

CREE RALPH STEINHAUER BORN—THE FIRST ABORIGINAL LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR OF ALBERTA Born at Morley, Alberta, then part of the Northwest Territories, Steinhauer, beginning in 1923, became active in numerous farm development and … Continue reading “JUNE 8, 1905”

GWICH’IN NOVELIST/ACTIVIST CHIEF ROBERT ARTHUR ALEXIE DIED Born on July 22, 1957, and raised in Fort McPherson, Northwest Territories, after completing a public and business administration program, Alexie returned to Fort … Continue reading “JUNE 9, 2014”

MOHAWK PETER BLUE CLOUD BORN—POET, AKWESASNE NOTES EDITOR Born on the Caughnawaga Reserve in Kahnawake, Quebec, Canada, Peter began writing poems as a teenager.  In the 1950s, he moved to the … Continue reading “JUNE 10, 1933”

COUER d’ALENE JAZZ MUSICIAN AL RINKER DIED Born on December 20, 1907 in Tekoa, Washington, his mother, Josephine, was an enrolled member of the Coeur d’Alene Tribe.  He and his siblings … Continue reading “JUNE 11, 1982”

CHEROKEE HAWK LITTLEJOHN BORN—FAMED FLUTE MAKER & MEDICINE MAN When Hawk was 6 years old, his grandfather began teaching him to carve the flutes played by the Cherokee of western North … Continue reading “JUNE 12, 1941”

TUSCARORA TRACK STAR FRANK MOUNT PLEASANT BORN—1908 TRACK & FIELD OLYMPIAN Born on the Tuscarora Reservation in New York, Mount Pleasant attended Carlisle Indian School (1905-09) and later Dickinson College. At … Continue reading “JUNE 13, 1884”

ONEIDA DENNISON WHEELOCK BORN —CARLISLE BAND CONDUCTOR, CORNETIST, ATTORNEY  Born in the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin, Wheelock, in 1885, enrolled at Carlisle Indian School where he excelled in academics and became … Continue reading “JUNE 14, 1871”

HAWAIIAN JOSEPH APUKAI AKINA BORN—ATTORNEY & DIPLOMAT Born of Native Hawaiian and Chinese descent, Joseph resided on the island of Kauai.  In 1892, Akina was elected as a member of the … Continue reading “JUNE 15, 1856”

CANADA’S TRUTH & RECONCILIATION COMMISSION (TRC) HOSTED ITS FIRST NATIONAL EVENT IN WINNIPEG Established pursuant to the 2007 Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement, the TRC was mandated to inform Canadians about … Continue reading “JUNE 16, 2007”

IÑUPIAK IGGIAGRUK (WILLIE HENSLEY) BORN– ALASKAN NATIVE RIGHTS ACTIVIST Born in Kotzebue, Alaska (AK), his family lived by hunting, fishing and trapping.  Attending boarding school in Tennessee, he was football co-captain & … Continue reading “JUNE 17, 1941”

MOHAWK ANAHAREO (GERTRUDE MOLTKE BERNARD) BORN—CONSERVATIONIST & AUTHOR Born at Mattawa, Ontario, of Mohawk and Algonquin parents, she married Archibald Belaney, an English trapper, who falsely claimed to be part-Apache and … Continue reading “JUNE 18, 1906”

INUPIAQ LEADER JACOB AHWINONA DIED Born near White Mountain, Alaska, in 1923, Jacob attended school there through the eighth grade. He moved to Nome to work for the U.S. Mining Company … Continue reading “JUNE 19, 2012”

KING PHILIP’S WAR BEGINS WITH THE SIEGE OF SWANSEA King Philip’s War was the first great war between Native Americans and white settlers. Metacom, also known as King Philip, was the … Continue reading “JUNE 20, 1675”

HERB KAWAINUI KĀNE BORN– HAWAIIAN RENAISSANCE ARTIST Born in Marshfield, Minnesota, Kāne was raised on the Big Island. After serving in the Navy, he studied at the School of the Art … Continue reading “JUNE 21, 1928”

ONEIDA GRAHAM GREENE BORN—AWARD-WINNING ACTOR From Six Nations Reserve, Brantford, Ontario, Greene was a rock band sound tech before entering the theatre in the 1970s.  His movie debut, Running Brave (1983), … Continue reading “JUNE 22, 1952”

EFFECTIVE DATE OF SAHTU DENE & MÉTIS COMPREHENSIVE LAND CLAIM AGREEMENT  Signed in September 1993, the agreement—a treaty under Section 35 of the Constitution of Canada—resolved the Sahtu Dene and Métis … Continue reading “JUNE 23, 1994”

HAWAIIAN QUEEN KAPI’OLANI DIED Born Kapiʻolani Napelakapuokakaʻe, December 31, 1834, in Hilo, Hawaiʻi, her names meant “The Arch [of] Heaven” & “The Sacred Flesh of Kakae.”  At 16, she became ward … Continue reading “JUNE 24, 1899”

INCAN GENERAL RUMINAWI (UNDER ATAHUALPA) DIED Born in Pillaro (now-Ecuador) in the 15th century, his given name was Ati II Pillahuaso.  Taking the name Rumiñawi, meaning “Stone Face,” he was Emperor … Continue reading “JUNE 25, 1525”

AYMARA UNION LEADER JOSE FLORES SANTOS STARTS CONFEDERACIÓN SINDICAL ÚNICA DE TRABAJADORES CAMPESINOS DE BOLIVIA (CSUTCB) Flores Santos formed CSUTCB in opposition to government-sponsored peasant unions.  Under the Tupaj Katari Revolutionary … Continue reading “JUNE 26, 1979”

INDIGENOUS AND TRIBAL PEOPLES CONVENTION ADOPTED The Convention, conducted under the auspicies of the International Labour Organization (ILO), and known as C169, is the major binding international convention concerning indigenous and … Continue reading “JUNE 27, 1989”

LAKOTA OLA MIDRED REXROAT DIED—NATIVE AMERICAN WWII WASP PILOT Born August 28, 1917, in Ogden, Kansas, Millie grew up partly on the Pine Ridge Reservation, South Dakota.  Graduating from the St. … Continue reading “JUNE 28, 2017”

MI’KMAQ CHIEF LAWRENCE PAUL BORN—FOUNDER, CONFEDERACY OF MAINLAND MI’KMAQ Born in St. John, New Brunswick, and raised on the Shubenacadie Indian Reserve, now Indian Brook, Nova Scotia, Paul joined the Canadian … Continue reading “JUNE 29, 1925”

CHEROKEE AUTHOR ROLLIE LYNN RIGGS DIED Born near Claremore, Indian Territory, August 31, 1899, Riggs was raised by an aunt after his mother, of Cherokee heritage, died when he was age … Continue reading “JUNE 30, 1954”