A Woman to Know: Wilma Mankiller
A lot of young girls have looked to their career paths and said they'd like to be chief. There's been a change in the limits people see. - Wilma Mankiller
Wilma Mankiller was the Cherokee Nation's first female chief and a fierce advocate for native rights. As chief in Oklahoma, Mankiller increased tribal enrollment and employment, built new housing and medical centers and laid the foundation for a massive rethink in tribal education, emphasizing the preservation of ancestral culture, stories and customs.
After leaving chiefhood, Mankiller became a national force for social issues and women's liberation, touring with Gloria Steinem and other activists. Louise Erdrich put it best:
In America, the most widely recognized Native American women are the ones who contribute to the national mythos (in story) by assisting white men in the business of taking Indian — Pochahontas and Sacagawea. Wilma Mankiller was another kind of woman entirely.
And, I mean, that last name. Right? Right? Add to your reading list:
Every Day is a Good Day: Reflections by Contemporary Indigenous Women (Wilma Mankiller)
Mankiller: A Chief and Her People (Wilma Mankiller)
Selu: Seeking the Corn Mother's Wisdom (Marilou Awiakta)
The Witch of Goingsnake and Other Stories (Robert J. Conley)
Read more:
Louise Erdrich on Wilma (The New York Times)
Rebuilding the Cherokee Nation (Wilma Mankiller for Sweet Briar College)
The Legacy of Wilma Mankiller (The Huffington Post)
Vote for Wilma Mankiller (Woman on 20s)
Gloria Steinem Reflects on Her Friendship with Wilma Mankiller (News OK)
Leaders as Guides of Return: Wilma Mankiller (Women's Media Center)
Watch more:
A New Wilma Mankiller Documentary (Tulsa World)
*~ Thank you to so many of you for recommending Wilma as a woman to know! Ms. Mankiller starred in a *very early* issue of this newsletter but, you know, she's been a super popular request and way more of you have subscribed since then so ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ ~*
*~Send your recommendations for women to know! Reply to this newsletter with your lady and she could be featured in an upcoming edition.~*