10/21/2021 @ All Day – POPE CANONIZES TEKAKWITHA AS STE. KATERI TEKWITHA—FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN SAINTE Tekakwitha, whose Mohawk name meant “She Who Bumps Into Things,” was born in 1656, at Ossernenon, near current Auriesville, New York, of a Mohawk father and Christianized Algonquin mother. Inspired by visiting Jesuits, she lived by their examples and, at age 20, was instructed in […]
10/22/2021 @ All Day – MÉTIS LEADER LOUIS DAVID RIEL BORN Born in the Red River Settlement (current Manitoba), Riel initially trained for the priesthood, but by 1868 had become a Métis leader. In 1869-1870, he led the Red River Rebellion and helped establish Manitoba as a province. Riel’s execution of Canadian Thomas Scott enraged anti-Catholic/anti-French sentiment in Ontario and, […]
10/23/2021 @ All Day – PAEZ COLUMBIAN REVOLUTIONARY QUINTÍN LAME BORN–LED ‘GUERRA RACIAL” IN 1920S Born in Cauca, Columbia, Lame started the Indigenous Movement in 1911 and, in 1914, tried to establish an indigenous republic. His movement grew into the “Guerra Racial.” In 1921, after three years in jail, he joined the Tolima movement. Lame founded the town of San […]
10/24/2021 @ All Day – BLACK-NATIVE AMERICAN BOXER HENRY ARMSTRONG DIED Born Henry Jackson, Jr., December 12, 1912, in Columbus, Mississippi, of a Black sharecropper and supposedly Iroquois mother (though possibly Cherokee), his family moved to St. Louis, Missouri, in 1916. As high school valedictorian, he sought college, but began boxing as Henry Armstrong in 1931. By 1932, he was well-known and, […]
10/25/2021 @ All Day – KOYUKON WALTER HARPER DIED– FIRST TO REACH DENALI SUMMIT Born in 1893, Walter’s mother reared him traditionally until his mid-teens. At age 16, Harper attended Tortella School, an Episcopal boarding school in Nenana, Alaska. There he met Hudson Stuck, Episcopal archdeacon of the Yukon. Stuck hired Walter as his interpreter, guide, and dog driver. He […]
10/26/2021 @ All Day – NATIVE AMERICAN LANGUAGES ACT OF 1992 SIGNED INTO LAW President George H. W. Bush signed the 1992 Act (Public Law 102-524) “to assist Native Americans in assuring the survival and continuing vitality of their languages.” The 1992 Act amended the Native American Languages Act of 1990 (Public Law 101-477) which declared that Native Americans were […]
10/27/2021 @ All Day – CREE ACTOR/PHILANTHROPIST TOM JACKSON BORN Born on One Arrow Reserve, Jackson was of the marginalized in Winnipeg before his voice brought him into radio, TV, and film. On TV, he appeared on Shining Time Station and Longhouse Tales. Other TV spots included: Sesame Street, Star Trek: The Next Generation, Street Legal, Law and Order: Criminal […]
10/28/2021 @ All Day – KIOWA/PAWNEE/ARAPAHO PAINTER MIRAC CREEPINGBEAR DIED Born September 8, 1947, in Lawton, Oklahoma, of a Kiowa mother and Pawnee-Arapaho father, Mirac was raised in Carnegie and Pawnee, Oklahoma. A self-trained artist, he began painting full-time in 1974 after working as an electrical wireman. Inspired by stories of family members who revered tradition and ceremony, his painting […]
10/29/2021 @ All Day – NATIVE HAWAIIAN HISTORIAN SCHOLAR SAMUEL MĀNAIAKALANI KAMAKAU BORN Born in Mokulēia, Waialua, O’ahu, Samuel enrolled at Lahainaluna Seminary in 1833 and was inspired by Reverend Sheldon Dibble to collect and preserve Hawaiian culture and language. Kamakau helped form the first Hawaiian historical society in 1841. Known as the Royal Hawaiian Historical Society, members included King […]
10/30/2021 @ All Day – LEONA AGLUKKAG BECOMES FIRST INUK CABINET MEMBER IN CANADA Born in Inuvik and raised in Thom Bay, Taloyoak, and Gjoa Haven (now in Nunavut), Aglukkaq served initially as Deputy Minister of Culture, Language, Elders and Youth. She served from 2004-2008 as the elected representative of Nattlik in the Nunavut Legislature. In 2008, Aglukkaq was elected […]