Wilma Pearl Mankiller First woman to become chief of the Cherokee tribe Date of Birth: 18.11.1945 Country: USA

1. Biography of Wilma Mankiller
2. Early Life and Background
3. Personal Life and Activism
4. Political Career as Chief
5. Later Life and Legacy

Biography of Wilma Mankiller

Wilma Mankiller was the first woman to become the leader of the Cherokee Nation. She held the position of Principal Chief for ten years, from 1985 to 1995.

Early Life and Background

Wilma Mankiller was born on November 18, 1945, in Tahlequah, Oklahoma. She was the sixth of eleven children born to Charlie Mankiller and Clara Irene Sitton. Her father was a full-blooded Cherokee, while her mother was a white woman of Dutch and Irish descent who chose to live with the Cherokee. The surname "Mankiller" indicates that men in the family traditionally chose the path of warriors. Wilma's family was very poor and initially lived on land near Rocky Mountain, Oklahoma. However, during World War II, their land was forcibly seized by the United States Army for military purposes. The Mankillers later participated in the Indian Relocation Program and moved to San Francisco, California, in 1956.

Personal Life and Activism

In 1963, at the age of 17, Wilma married Hector Hugo Olaya de Bardi, an Ecuadorian student. They moved to Oakland, California, and had two daughters. Wilma returned to school, earning degrees from Skyline College and San Francisco State University. She actively participated in the activities of the San Francisco Indian Center and was involved in the occupation of Alcatraz Island by Native Americans in the late 1960s. Wilma also volunteered for five years with the Pit River Tribe. In 1977, she divorced her husband and moved back to Oklahoma with her daughters, hoping to help her people and begin her political career.

Political Career as Chief

In 1983, Wilma Mankiller was elected Deputy Chief of the Cherokee Nation while Ross Swimmer held the position of Principal Chief. When Swimmer resigned in 1985, Mankiller became the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. She was reelected in 1987 and 1991 with overwhelming support. During her time as Chief, Mankiller focused on improving the lives of the Cherokee people through various projects funded by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and the federal government. She worked on economic development, infrastructure improvement, and negotiated agreements between tribes and the federal government. Under her leadership, the population of the Cherokee Nation increased significantly due to improved economic conditions and increased birth rates.

Later Life and Legacy

After leaving office as Chief, Wilma Mankiller took a teaching position at Dartmouth College. Throughout her life, she faced numerous health challenges, including surviving a car accident in 1979 and undergoing multiple surgeries. She married Charlie Soap, a longtime friend and fellow Cherokee, in 1986, and they resided on ancestral land. Wilma Mankiller passed away on April 6, 2010, at her home in Adair County, Oklahoma, after a battle with pancreatic cancer. She left behind a lasting legacy and received several honors, including the Presidential Medal of Freedom and induction into the National Women's Hall of Fame. Her autobiography, "Mankiller: A Chief and Her People," became a national bestseller.