Chapter 8: Native Americans Flashcards
Who is Wilma Mankiller?
Chief of the Cherokee Nation (1985-1995)
Wilma Mankiller was born in 1945 in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. Her father was a full-blooded Cherokee and her mother was of Dutch and Irish heritage. As chief of the Cherokee Nation, the second largest Indian nation, Mankiller managed a $75 million budget, comparable to budgets of major corporations.
Mankiller spent her formative years in San Francisco, where her family moved in 1956 as part of the U.S. government relocation program for American Indians. Adjustment to life in San Francisco was hard for the Mankiller family. Wilma and her siblings were teased about their last name, their accent, and their clothing. Wilma noted that Blacks, Latinos, and American Indians were targets of prejudice and discrimination, and it was in San Francisco that Mankiller’s pursuit of justice began.
**n 1983, Mankiller agreed to run for deputy chief of the Cherokee Nation, second in command. She was surprised that her most vociferous opposition was based purely on sex. Some claimed her running for office was an “affront to God,” while others said that having a woman run the tribe would make the “Cherokees the laughingstock of the tribal world.” With every outrageous comment, Mankiller became more certain her decision to run for office was the right one.
Mankiller was elected and took office as deputy chief in August of 1983. In 1985, she became chief of the Cherokee Nation, the first woman in modern history to serve as chief of an American Indian tribe. In 1991, Mankiller was elected for a third term. During her terms as chief, Mankiller focused on education, healthcare, and economic development for the Cherokee Nation. She acknowledged the tremendous responsibility of the chief’s role and encouraged young women to “take risks, to stand up for the things they believe in, and to step up and accept the challenge of serving in leadership roles.” Mankiller was awarded an honorary doctorate from Yale University.**
who is wilma mankiller summed up
Wilma Mankiller is honored and recognized as the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. She is also the first woman elected as chief of a major Native tribe. She spent her remarkable life fighting for the rights of American Indians.
