Native American Women Leaders
Far too many indigenous women who accomplished great things for themselves, their tribes, and the culture have been overlooked In traditional history books. Our narratives on this website are meant to make up for that by encouraging people to read the Native American women’s stories and to appreciate the contributions that these women have made to society.
So far we have related the stories of educators, doctors, nurses, writers, storytellers, scientists, mathematicians, artists, and several female indigenous leaders. Perhaps the most famous Indigenous female leader is Wilma Pearl Mankiller. Her life is a testimony to women, especially Native American girls to show them what is possible.
Wilma Pearl Mankiller, Cherokee (1945-2010)
Wilma Mankiller is probably the most famous Native American woman of the twentieth century. Her name is surprising to those who are not familiar with her. Mankiller is an old Cherokee name. It has been in Wilma’s family for many generations. Originally it was a rank or title given to a person after they had earned it. Wilma traced it back to her great-great-great-grandfather, Ah-nee-ska-yah-di-hi. It translates into “Menkiller”.
Land held in common by the Cherokee nation in Indian territory in Oklahoma was parceled out into individual allotments
of 160 acres per family. The land called Mankiller Flats in Adair county was assigned to her grandfather John Mankiller. Wilma eventually moved to Mankiller flats and built her home several hundred yards from the site where his house once stood. It was a homecoming for a woman who had been through much.
Wilma was born in Tahlequah (The capital of the Cherokee Nation), Oklahoma in 1945 to Charley Mankiller (Cherokee) and Clara Irene Sitton (Dutch/Irish heritage). She was the sixth of eleven children. When she was nine years old her family moved voluntarily to San Francisco when the Indian Relocation Act was passed. The government had promised housing, relocation expenses, and education or job training. Most of this was difficult to get however due to prejudice against them. Neither did the government follow up on their promises.
They lived in poor housing. When it became obvious that what the government was really after – Americanizing Indigenous families, weakening their cultural ties and power to govern themselves on their reservations – Wilma would say “That was when the time came for our Trail of Tears.”[1] Still, the Mankiller family did their best to make a life for themselves. It was a struggle for a family used to tribal life.
Wilma did not like living in a big city. She eventually went to live with her grandmother for a couple of years. When she was seventeen she married Hector Hugo Olaya de Bardi a fellow student at San Francisco State College. They had two daughters, Felicia and Gina. Wilma stayed at home to care for her family. She began to notice the activism in the Bay Area in the 1960’s and longed to be a part of it.
Wilma became politically active in the 1960’s as an advocate for the Pit River Tribe. She also joined Indians of All Tribes (IAT) in 1969 when they occupied Alcatraz Island. The government had ceased to use the island as a prison. Many groups, especially commercial interests, had their eye on the island for development.
An enterprising group of 14 Native Americans moved onto the island on November 9, 1969. They declared it to be Indian property under the terms of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. One of the treaty provisions was that any male Native American older than eighteen whose tribe was party to the treaty could file for a homestead on abandoned or unused federal land. The group filed their claim and even offered to buy the land from the U.S. government.
The government responded by sending Coast Guard cutters to round up the occupants and remove them from the Island. On November 20, 89 Native Americans moved back with articles of clothing and food and intended to stay. They remained on the island until June 11, 1971, when most of their demands were met.
Four of Wilma’s sisters and brothers and their children lived on Alcatraz. Wilma was proud of them. Though the protesters were removed, the outcome for Indigenous peoples was the raised awareness of the injustices that Native Americans suffered at the hands of white people. Wilma said that this was a turning point in her life. After this her focus in life would be to make things better for her people.
Wilma returned to college. She also became active in the Indian Center of San Francisco, which everyone called “The Center”. It was a place to meet and encourage each other. She had an overwhelming desire now to help her people. She realized that she and Hugo were growing apart in their wishes for their lives. In 1974 she and Hugo divorced. Then she decided to return to Oklahoma with her daughters.
In 1977, she went to work with the Cherokee tribal government helping them with planning and development programs. Wilma encouraged Native Americans to go to school and get an education and then come back and serve their tribe with their knowledge and experience. She developed programs that improved housing and health care.
When Wilma received a federal grant to revitalize the community of Bell, she received national attention. The residents of Bell felt disempowered and neglected. They had poor infrastructure and housing. Wilma believed that the people and the government could work together to improve conditions. The Bell community demonstrated the best of both ways of life by receiving aid along with all of the able-bodied people doing the physical work of rebuilding. It became a model of giving a hand up to people who would then help themselves.
While working on this project she met Charlie Lee Soap whom she married in 1986. Charlie was Cherokee and it was from him that Wilma learned traditional medicine. They remained happily married and partnered with the work for the rest of her life.
Wilma served as deputy-chief of the Cherokee people under Chief Ross Swimmer. She had become the first Cherokee woman to be deputy chief. Soon she became the first woman to be principal chief of the Cherokee tribe in 1985 when the chief Swimmer resigned. She had some opposition because she was a woman, but her accomplishments spoke for themselves and she was reelected in her own right for another term in 1987 and again in 1991. She retired as principal chief in 1995.
Now Wilma had her chance to fulfill her dream of helping her people in significant ways. While she was in office living conditions were improved. She saw to it that there were many opportunities for the Cherokee especially for the people living in rural areas. She managed the tribe’s budget of $75 million. She helped the tribe to double their revenue. Enrollment increased in the Cherokee so that members had tripled by the end of her time in office.
Wilma used the increased revenue to aid in health care and education. Three health centers and a clinic to combat drug abuse were opened. While Wilma was chief, infant mortality declined. She established schools to help young children prepare for kindergarten. While she was chief there were improvements to infrastructure and educational opportunities. To preserve Cherokee culture, she implemented the study of the Cherokee language in schools.
All of these things were accomplished in spite of Wilma’s health problems. In 1989 she underwent a kidney transplant. Her brother was able to donate the kidney for her. Later she developed cancer and the therapy led to kidney failure. Her niece, Virlee Williamson was willing to donate the second kidney. The kidney functioned well and Wilma was thankful for family members who stepped up to save her life.
During this time Wilma continued to speak and write promoting American Indian culture. She coedited a woman’s history book, raised funds for organizations, and stayed active in community programs. She helped Charlie found a Boys and Girls Club in Tahlequah.
With Michael Wallis she wrote her autobiography, Mankiller: A Chief and Her People (1993). She put together a book with contemporary Indigenous women called Every Day is a Good Day: Reflections by Contemporary Indigenous Women (2004). Wilma has been inducted into the Oklahoma Women’s Hall of Fame (1986) and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame (1994) for her example as a leader and her contributions in community service. Wilma was named Ms. Magazine woman of the year in 1987.
In 1998 President Bill Clinton awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. With a true servant’s heart, Wilma said, “I felt it was strange to receive an award simply for doing the work I love. I accepted it on behalf of all Native American people, namely women, who have done much more work than I ever have. As my family and friends and I entered the White Houe, I could not help but think what a long, long way it was from my childhood in Mankiller Flats.”[2]
Wilma was living on her grandfather’s allotment, Mankiller Flats, in Adair County, Oklahoma when she passed away from cancer on April 6, 2010. She said that if she was remembered, she wanted to be remembered as the first female chief of the Cherokee tribe. She also wanted people to see that she demonstrated that there are indigenous solutions to tribal problems. The Cherokee people are brave, strong, and wise. 23 countries lit signal fires, an ancient tradition, to light the way home for Wilma after her death.
In 2022 Wilma Mankiller was given another high honor when she was recommended to be included in the American Women Quarters series by the U.S. Mint. The 5 quarter series would include Wilma Mankiller along with Adelina Otero-Warren, Anna May Wong, Sally Ride and Maya Angelou. The coins feature courageous women who have made outstanding contributions throughout our United States history.
The coin features an image of Wilma gazing into the future with the wind at her back. This reflects her belief that “the future looks bright for the Cherokee Naton.” [3] She wears a traditional shawl. To her left is a seven-pointed star representing the seven traditional clans of the Cherokee Nation.
[1] Mankiller, Wilma and Wallis, Michael. Mankiller: A Chief and Her People. (New York: St. Martin’s Griffin, 1993) p. 68
[2] Ibid. p. 274.
[3] Ibid. p. 275.
