MAY 2024

CHEROKEE MUSICIAN RITA COOLIDGE BORN Rita, born in Lafayette, Tennessee, and discovered in Memphis by Delaney & Bonnie Bramlett, was a regular backing singer for Joe Cocker, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Eric Clapton, Dave Mason, Graham Nash, … Continue reading “MAY 1, 1945”

YAQUI MASTER SERGEANT RAUL “ROY” BENAVIDEZ EARNS MEDAL OF HONOR Born in Cuero, Texas (TX), August 5, 1935, Roy was a farm worker before joining the Army in 1955. A Special … Continue reading “MAY 2, 1968”

YUP’IK BRYCE EDGMON BORN–1ST NATIVE ALASKAN SPEAKER OF THE ALASKAN HOUSE Born in Dillingham, Alaska (AK), Bryce fished commercially for over 20 years and was a chairman of the board of Choggiung … Continue reading “MAY 3, 1961”

KLICKITAT BASKETMAKER NETTIE JACKSON DIED Born on July 30, 1942, in The Dalles, Washington (WA), Nettie came from a family of master basket weavers. Growing up, she spent her summers with … Continue reading “MAY 4, 2013”

INUK ARTIST AGNES NANOGAK DIED Born November 12, 1925, on the Baillie Islands in Canada’s Northwest Territories (NWT), her family relocated to Holman, on Queen’s Bay in 1937. In the 1960’s, … Continue reading “MAY 5, 2001”

OMAHA SHON-GA-SKA (LOGAN FONTENELLE) BORN–TRADER-INTERPRETER Born at Fort Atkinson, Nebraska (NB) Territory, Fontenelle’s mother was the daughter of Omaha principal chief Big Elk. Educated at a private school near St. Louis, … Continue reading “MAY 6, 1825”

COPPER INUIT ARTIST KALVALADLAK (HELEN KALVAK) DIED Born in 1901 at Tahiryuak Lake, on Victoria Island (VI) and raised in the Prince Albert Sound area, Helen lived a traditional Inuit lifestyle … Continue reading “MAY 7, 1984”

CANADA ANNOUNCES INDIAN RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SETTLEMENT The Indian Residential Schools Settlement Agreement (IRSSA) is an agreement between the government of Canada and approximately 86,000 Indigenous peoples in Canada who, at some point, were enrolled as children in … Continue reading “MAY 8, 2006”

WESTERN CHEROKEE GUITARIST NOKIE EDWARDS BORN—LEAD GUITARIST FOR THE VENTURES Edwards, born in Lahoma, Oklahoma, grew up in Puyallup, Washington (WA). In 1958 in Tacoma WA, Nokie backed country music legend Buck … Continue reading “MAY 9, 1935”

DECLARATION OF THE LILLOOET TRIBE AT SPENCES BRIDGE The Declaration of the Lillooet Tribe is important in the history of relations between First Nations and the governments of Canada and the Province of British Columbia (BC). Signed in Spences … Continue reading “MAY 10, 1911”

MÉTIS LEADER ACTIVIST ORGANIZER TONY BELCOURT BORN Belcourt was born in the Métis community of Lac Ste. Anne, Alberta (AB). Tony was Vice-president, Métis Association of AB (1969) and President of … Continue reading “MAY 11, 1943”

COMANCHE LEADER POHEBITS QUASHO (IRON JACKET) DIED IN BATTLE OF LITTLE ROBE CREE Following several Comanche raids in 1858 & 1859, Captain John S. Ford led 102 Texas Rangers & 113 … Continue reading “MAY 12, 1858”

DARTMOUTH MASSACRE—FRENCH, ACADIANS & MI’KMAQ RAID The Mi’kmaq War (part of Father Le Loutre’s War) began in August 1749 over the founding of Halifax, Nova Scotia (NS) which the Mi’kmaq saw … Continue reading “MAY 13, 1751”

YUCHI MUSCOGEE PHOTOGRAPHER T’SO-YA-HA (RICHARD RAY WHITMAN) BORN Whitman, born in Claremore, Oklahoma (OK) and raised in Gypsy, OK, dropped out of high school before attending the Institute of American Indian Arts (IAIA) … Continue reading “MAY 14, 1949”

INUPIAT PRESBYTERIAN PASTOR MARY ANN IQILAN WARDEN BORN Raised in Kaktovik, Alaska (AK), Mary Ann went to Sheldon Jackson College in Sitka, AK. In 1978, she earned an Associate of Applied … Continue reading “MAY 15, 1942”

ASSINIBOINE-SIOUX HANK ADAMS BORN–”FISH WARS” ACTIVIST AND TRIAL ADVOCATE Born on Fort Peck Reservation, Montana, raised in Taholah, Washington (WA), Hank attended University of WA (UW) for 2 years. His activism began with the … Continue reading “MAY 16, 1943”

BILLY DIAMOND BORN–GRAND CHIEF, GRAND COUNCIL OF THE CREES Born in the Cree Nation of Waskaganish in Quebec (QC), Billy, at age 7, was sent to residential school in Ontario (ON), forced to cut his hair, and … Continue reading “MAY 17, 1943”

QUECHUA LEADER TÚPAC AMARU II (JOSE CONDORCANQUI), HIS WIFE AND SON EXECUTED José Gabriel Condorcanqui Noguera, cacique (hereditary chief) in the Tinta region of southern Peru and a descendant of the … Continue reading “MAY 18, 1781”

OJIBWE OLYMPIC RUNNER FRED SIMPSON SR. DIED Born in March 1878 on the Alderville Indian Reserve (IR) in Ontario, Simpson was of the Mississauga Ojibwe Nation. Fred lost his parents at a … Continue reading “MAY 19, 1945”

INUPIAT NATIVE SPORTS CHAMPION NICOLE JOHNSTON BORN Nicole, born in Nome, Alaska, was a famed competitor in the “Inuit Games” (traditional Inuit athletic games used to develop survival skills). At the … Continue reading “MAY 20, 1969”

INDIAN CREEK MASSACRE USED TO START BLACK HAWK’S WAR The influx of settlers into Illinois (IL) coupled with the Indian Removal Act of 1830 and resulting forced relocations of tribes led … Continue reading “MAY 21, 1832”

ISABEL MEADOWS-LAST RUMSEN OHLONE SPEAKER-DIED Born on July 7, 1846, in Carmel Valley, California, Isabel claimed Esselen and Rumsen heritage. Due in part to her ancestry and childhood, Meadows was fluent in … Continue reading “MAY 22, 1939”

MOHAWK BASKET WEAVER KAWENNATAKIE (MARY ADAMS) DIED Adams, whose Mohawk name meant “Approaching Voice,” was born on the Akwesasne Reserve, Cornwall Island, Ontario, on January 24, 1917. Her mother died when … Continue reading “MAY 23, 1999”

NATIVE HAWAIIAN COLLEGE & MAJOR LEAGUE SOCCER (MLS) STAR BRIAN CHING BORN Brian, born in Haleiwa, Hawaii, started playing soccer at age 7. At Kamehameha Schools, he was Honolulu Interscholastic League … Continue reading “MAY 24, 1978”

ONEIDA ALL AMERICAN FOOTBALL PLAYER MARTIN WHEELOCK DIED Born in Oneida, Wisconsin (WI), June 5, 1874. Martin went to Carlisle Indian School in 1890. He played on its football team from … Continue reading “MAY 25, 1937”

PAUL OKALIK BORN–1ST INUK BAR MEMBER AND 1ST PREMIER OF NUNAVUT Okalik, born in Pangnirtung, Northwest Territories (NWT), attended high school in Frobisher Bay (now Iqaluit). In the 1980s, as Special … Continue reading “MAY 26, 1964”

MUSCOGEE JOURNALIST ALEXANDER POSEY DIED Born on August 3, 1873, near present-day Eufaula, Oklahoma (OK), Posey’s mother was from the prominent Harjo family. He learned Muscogee culture, religion, and politics from … Continue reading “MAY 27, 1908”

INUIT ARTIST PITSEOLAK ASHOONA DIED—MEMBER, ROYAL ACADEMY OF THE ARTS Born on Nottingham Island, Northwest Territories, circa 1904, Pitseolak, whose name meant “Sea Pigeon,” was raised in the traditional Inuit lifestyle, … Continue reading “MAY 28, 1983”

IPPERWASH CRISIS ENDS AS ONTARIO TURNS PARK OVER TO THE OJIBWE For the duration of World War II, the Canadian Government expropriated reserve land from the Ojibwe of Kettle and Stoney … Continue reading “MAY 29, 2009”

ONTARIO PREMIER APOLOGIZES FOR THE RESIDENTIAL SCHOOL SYSTEM Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne officially apologized for mistreatment of First Nations, Métis and Inuit children. Wynne gave the province’s official response to the 2015 report from … Continue reading “MAY 30, 2016”

TURPIE AMENDMENT ENDS PRESIDENT CLEVELAND’S RECOGNITION OF LILI’OUKALANI After the 1893 overthrow of Queen Lili’oukalani, a Provisional Government (PG) sought to annex Hawai`i to the U.S. President Cleveland was opposed to … Continue reading “MAY 31, 1894”