Native American Indian Contributors to Our World
There are hundreds of inventions by Native American Indians that have become common everyday items,
including: the toboggan, kayak, snow shoes, the game of Lacrosse,
Ben Nighthorse Campbell, U.S. Senator - U.S. Senator from Colorado who is the only
American Indian presently serving in either house of Congress.
Charles Curtis was the 1st Native American (Osage) to serve in the U.S. Senate and the 1st
to serve as the Vice President of the United States under President Herbert Hoover from
1929 to 1933. He served on every Indian committee in Congress and was also concerned
about women‟s and farmers‟ rights.
John B. Herrington (Chickasaw Nation) is a Navy pilot and flight engineer in the space
shuttle program where he is an astronaut/
commander with NASA.
Dennis J Banks – this leader, teacher, lecturer,
founder of the American Indian Movement and
Foundation.
activist and author is the cothe Director of the Sacred Run
Ira Hayes - famous Pima Nation member who
during WWII.
helped raise the Flag on Iwo Jima
N. Scott Momaday - Kiowa poet, novelist,
playwright, storyteller, artist, and
a professor of English and American literature.
He is a member of the renowned
Kiowa Gourd Dance Society, earned a Ph.D. and was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Literature.
Sherman Alexie – Spokane Indian highly recognized for his novels, poetry, short stories and films.
Ira Hayes – United States Marine World War II hero
Marvin Rainwater – Cherokee recording artist
Vine Deloria – author of Custer Died for Your Sins and Behind the Train of Broken Treaties, 2 books that were
highly critical of U.S. policy toward Native Americans
Jim Thorpe – Potawatomi, Sauk & Fox Indian considered one of the greatest all around athletes of the 20th
Century, setting Olympic records in the decathlon, pentathlon, and also playing professional baseball and
football.
Wilma Mankiller - first woman to be elected Chief of the Cherokee Nation
serving from 1985 to 1995.
Chief Earl Old Person – Currently serving as Chief of the Blackfeet Nation.
He was honored by the Montana ACLU
Russell Means – Presidential candidate in 1988 for the Libertarian Party
Sitting Bull (Tatanka Iyotake) – Lakota Chief and Medicine Man considered to be the leader of the last Sioux
Nation to surrender to the United States government.
Black Elk – One of the great leaders of the 20th century and author of Black Elk Speaks
Chief Joseph fought imprisonment of the Nez Perce Nation by leading them to Canada, but the U.S. military
captured and forced them onto reservations. His famous quote is , “I will fight no more forever.”
Duane Loken – Comanche Scandinavian actor, singer, producer
Roscoe Pond – Actor and filmmaker fighting Hollywood stereotyping of Native
peoples
Buffy Sainte-Marie – After earning a Ph.D. in Fine Arts from the University of
Massachusetts, this Cree artist became an activist known most for her protest
songs
Benjamin Bratt Actor of Qechua descent - Peruvian tribe
Cher (Cherilyn Sarkasian) Cherokee Armenian singer and actress.
Della Reese Cherokee-African American singer and actress who played Tess on Touched by an Angel
Robert Mirabal is an award winning musician, singer, and storyteller who was name 2003 Artist of the Year
by the Native American Music Awards
Charlotte Black Elk is the great granddaughter of the great Lakota leader Black Elk who is an expert on
Lakota history and oral traditions
Sarah Winnemucca was the first Native American woman (Paiute) to get a copyright and publish in English
who spoke out against U.S. government treatment of her people in the late 1800s.
Maria Tallchief was the Osage prima ballerina for the New York City Ballet for 18 years
Billy Mills is an Ogala Lakota (Sioux) who is the first American ever to win an
Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 meter run (Tokyo 1964).
Ross Anderson (Cheyenne and Arapaho) is the fastest downhill skier in the United
States.
Roscoe Pond – is an activist actor, writer, film maker
Cory Witherill -- (Navajo) is a race car driver.
Lisa Tiger , who is a member of the Muskogee Nation and is also of Cherokee, Creek and Seminole descent, is
a victim‟s rights advocate, motivational speaker, and educator
Will Rogers was an actor who was one of the most popular entertainers of his time. Known as the “Indian
Cowboy” (Cherokee), one of his memorable quotes is, “My ancestors didn‟t come over on the Mayflower, but
they met „em at the boat”.