We Should Celebrate Native Foremothers Every Month!
(Originally published November 30, 2025)
As you may know, November was Native American Heritage month, but as with all these “commemorative months,” our focus is never limited to 30 or 31 days (don’t even get us started with the fact that Black History Month is February, the shortest month of the year…!). When it comes to our Indigenous brothers and sisters, they deserve more than a month! The legacy of broken promises, federal inaction (at best), and systemic abuse that American Indians endured is a depiction of mistreatment and discrimination that many of our communities endure to this day.
And when it comes to Native American Indians, there’s one enormous factor to weigh in, of course: They were here first! Even though I am not an expert in American Indian history or culture, I always feel a sense of humility and indignation when I think about the Native Foremothers who fought so hard for their people. Their leadership and commitment should be an inspiration for all of us who cherish justice and liberation.
With all of that, I wanted to lift up two women who I featured in my book— Wilma Mankiller and Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich—and a third who I also feel deserves flowers, Betty Mae Tiger Jumper.
These three women—Cherokee, Tlingit, and Seminole, respectively—exemplify that change and community benefit are not things we are supposed to passively sit around and wait for, they result from courage and persistence. So, as you read about these three Indigenous she-roes, I hope you’ll feel a pull towards putting passion into action.
Let’s continue to champion our communities, especially those who need support in this moment. Let’s carry on demanding respect and speaking truth. And, as we start to see some small shifts in the societal landscape, let’s absolutely keep on organizing for justice.
We Need Each Other.
One of the world views that we can all adopt from indigeneity is the importance of collectivism, rather than the “I do it alone” individualism that has brought us so much harm, greed, and destruction.
Inspired action is a team sport!
I don’t do it often, but today I’ll borrow the words of a great man, Chief Seattle, the 19th-century leader of the Duwamish and Suquamish peoples, who once said: “All things are bound together. All things connect." So as all things connect, therefore must we remain connected.
The work isn’t easy—but we are stronger when unified. So, here’s to bravery, solidarity, and the courage to keep up the fight!
What Wilma Mankiller and Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich, and Betty Mae Tiger Jumper Can Teach Us About Community Power in Indian Country (and Beyond!)
Let's learn about these three inspiring Foremothers!
Wilma Mankiller: from Alcatraz to Cherokee Chiefdom
The story of Wilma Mankiller provides a strong example of collective action rippling forth from the home to the community and outward to a nation. Mankiller (her family’s generational surname derives from Asgaya-dihi, (ᎠᏍᎦᏯᏗᎯ), a traditional Cherokee military title depicting high ranking, roughly equivalent to a captain or village protector; it has nothing to do with the literal English translation) made history as the first female Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, battling steadfastly to bring healthcare, education, and housing to rural tribal citizens—all while confronting sexism and stereotypes.
Mankiller was no stranger to poverty and hardship; her family was relocated from their homeland in Oklahoma to San Francisco, where she became exposed to justice struggles, including the 1969-71 Alcatraz Island Occupation. As a 24-year-old, she was influenced by the activists’ protests of the many longstanding federal government policies that systemically decimated Indigenous agency: land theft, broken treaties, and the forced relocation policies of the mid‑20th century. Wilma got involved in fundraising, gathering supplies, and participating in various support efforts.
Soon after, she’d return to Oklahoma, dedicating herself to improving the lives of rural Cherokee communities. As head of the Cherokee Nation’s Community Development Department, she organized her rural community at the grassroots teamwork level, in building water systems and repairing homes. She was convinced that people could solve their problems together and reclaim agency.
These local successes led to her being selected as Cherokee Deputy Chief in 1983, and after the then-Chief left the role for a federal position in 1985, in accordance with tribal law, Wilma Mankiller became Principal Chief.
She would go on to win election and re-election in her own right, securing a decade-long tenure of significant economic and social expansion of the Nation. Wilma stepped down from leadership in 1995 for health reasons, but remained a beloved symbol of leadership and the power of women. This day, her legacy lives in today’s Native governance and tribal activism.
Wilma Mankiller said ... “The secret of our success is that we never, never give up."
Reflection: What does responsible leadership look like in my community?
Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich: The Housewife Who Helped Pass the Nation's First Civil Rights Legislation
Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich was a Tlingit (Indigenous peoples of the Pacific Northwest Coast of North America, whose name means "People of the Tides") leader who helped pass Alaska’s 1945 Anti-Discrimination Act. What many people do not know is that this law was the first state or territorial anti-discrimination law passed in the United States, criminalizing discrimination based on race in public establishments—nearly 20 years before the Civil Rights Act of 1964.
Peratrovich was compelled to take action after moving to Juneau with her husband and three young children in 1941. She became active in Alaska Native Sisterhood (ANS), an organization founded to address discrimination and advocate for the rights of Alaska Native people.
Her husband Roy Peratrovich served as president of the Alaska Native Brotherhood. What a power couple! ANS drove much of the civil rights efforts on behalf of Alaska Natives, such as fighting segregation, advocating for land and voting rights, and securing citizenship and health benefits. In response to the blatant exclusion from public spaces and open racism she witnessed and experienced against Native people, she lobbied tirelessly.
Her stirring testimony before the Alaska Senate helped change hearts and laws. Today, Peratrovich is celebrated annually in Alaska and recognized nationally as a pivotal force for Native and minority rights.
For more on this topic, check out the one-hour documentary "For the Rights of All: Ending Jim Crow in Alaska", where a dramatic re-enactment of Peratrovich’s speech is featured.
Elizabeth spoke these words to the Territorial Congress, after a politician declared that Native Alaskans were still living in 'savagery,' whereas the white leaders had 5,000 years of civilization behind them: "I would not have expected that I, who am barely out of savagery, would have to remind gentlemen with five thousand years of recorded civilization behind them of our Bill of Rights."
Reflection: What would you say if you were given the mic at the moment that mattered?
Betty Mae Tiger Jumper: Leader of the Seminole People
Betty Mae Tiger Jumper was the first woman elected Chief of the Seminole Tribe of Florida in 1967. She rose to this position through years of leadership, having served as a nurse, educator, tribal council member, constitutional committee organizer, advocate for health and education, and newspaper editor, establishing the tribe’s first newspaper, and writing extensively to preserve Seminole stories and culture while building new systems.
Born in 1923 in a Seminole camp near Indiantown, Florida, to a Seminole mother and a French father, she overcame severe discrimination and threats to her life due to her mixed heritage. She was the first Florida Seminole to learn English, graduate high school, and complete a nursing program. Her nursing qualifications and values would become integral to her leadership.
Betty Mae guided the Seminole Tribe through crucial years of development. Her election took place almost a decade after the tribe gained federal recognition in 1957, and during her tenure as chairwoman, she helped found the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET) in 1968.
Under the Nixon administration, she was appointed to to the National Congress on Indian Opportunity, where she served as a leading voice in Native American affairs at the national level. She was one of the first Native American women to serve on the council. NCIO was founded by President Lyndon Johnson in 1968 to give Native leaders a direct voice in federal policy, improve the coordination of Indian programs, and promote self-determination, and his successor, Richard Nixon, expanded its scope.
As hard as it may be to imagine today, this was not a political appointment nor a way of rewarding a partisan ally. Betty Mae was not a Republican, but was chosen for the role due to her strong leadership record and achievements in health advocacy. NCIO was dissolved in 1974 after helping lay the groundwork for the Indian Self-Determination Act of 1975, which transferred much federal control to Native tribes.
In addition to this key role in the timeline of Native tribal self-determination, Tiger Jumper’s legacy includes many published works and numerous honors, including induction into the Florida Women’s Hall of Fame and the first Lifetime Achievement Award from the Native American Journalists Association.
What’s in a name?
Betty Mae Tiger Jumper’s last name reflects Seminole matrilineal tradition: she was given her mother’s surname, “Tiger,” a prominent surname among Florida Seminoles, is rooted in clan heritage of the Snake clan. The “Jumper” name was added after she married Moses Jumper Sr., a fellow Seminole leader and alligator wrestler. This surname is equally historic, associated with tribal leadership and tradition.
Betty Mae once said: “I proved I could do a lot of things. People also knew I do what I set out to do.”
Reflection: What does it mean to be a bridge between worlds?
Reflection and Action: Journal Prompts for Everyone
Uplifted by Wilma Mankiller? How do you lead with vision and compassion? Write about a leader you admire and why.
Inspired by Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich? How do you use your voice to change laws? Write about a time you supported a policy change.
Admiring Betty Mae Tiger Jumper? How do you see local government making a difference, and how does this inspire you in these times?
HerStory / OurStory: Journal Prompts for Women of Color
Thinking about Wilma Mankiller - What family stories or habits shaped how you think and/or lead today? What has your lineage taught you about leading without asking permission?
Considering the influence of Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich - When have you used your voice to open a door — and refused to close it?
Reflecting on the strength of Betty Mae Tiger Jumper - How do you move between tradition and innovation — and what guides you?
typical store signage, Juneau, 1940s
Activated Allies: Prompts and Actions for White Friends
For Wilma Mankiller - Support Indigenous sovereignty and language revitalization projects in your region. Learn about Indigenous governance and leadership.
In honor of Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich - Learn about Indigenous civil rights history outside the continental U.S. Read about the Alaska Anti-Discrimination Act and its legacy.
In deference to Betty Mae Tiger Jumper - Support Native journalism and storytelling efforts, such as the Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance, which advocates for “ a world where democracy thrives for Indigenous people through an independent press.” My sister-in-advocacy Jodi Rave Spotted Bear serves as their Executive Director.
More on Their Lives
Wilma Mankiller - November 18, 1945 – April 6, 2010
First Chief of the Cherokee Nation
The Indian Removal Act of 1830 initiated the forced migration of more than 100,000 Native Americans in what became known as the Trail of Tears. The Cherokee people were driven from their ancestral lands in Georgia and the Carolinas to the dry plains of Oklahoma. Wilma Mankiller’s family eventually settled on a 160-acre plot there, where she spent the first eleven years of her life. She would later return to those same Oklahoma lands to guide her people toward prosperity and well-being.
Under a Bureau of Indian Affairs initiative that encouraged Native families to relocate to urban centers, the Mankillers moved again in 1956—this time to San Francisco. In California, Wilma’s father became active in the labor movement, and exposure to progressive politics shaped his daughter's growing social consciousness.
At age twenty-four, Wilma participated in the Alcatraz Occupation, a nineteen-month protest that began in 1969. Activists took over the now-abandoned prison island to demand self-determination, land rights, and restitution for centuries of systemic violence and erasure, declaring their cause “in the name of Indians of all tribes.”
Wilma’s passion for uplifting her Cherokee community would continue throughout her life. After divorcing her first husband, Wilma returned to Oklahoma with her two daughters in 1974, dedicating herself to advancing rural housing, education, and health care programs. A devastating automobile accident in 1979 required seventeen surgeries and years of rehabilitation, yet she remained steadfast in her commitment to community service.
Her leadership abilities soon caught the attention of the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, who invited her to run as his Deputy Chief in 1983. Two years later, she was elevated to Principal Chief—a role she held until 1995. During her tenure, tribal enrollment more than doubled, from about 68,000 to 170,000 members, and the Cherokee Nation’s overall budget expanded to $150 million.
Beyond these material accomplishments, Wilma prioritized social and cultural well-being. She oversaw the development of rural health facilities, new programs addressing substance abuse, and the expansion of Head Start, the federal initiative providing early childhood education, health care, and family support to underserved communities. A pioneering leader in both Native and feminist movements, Wilma Mankiller was also a celebrated author whose legacy continues to inspire generations.
Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich - July 4, 1911 – December 1, 1958
Alaskan Precursor to the Civil Rights Movement
While Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s “I Have a Dream” speech is often remembered as a pivotal moment for the civil rights movement and a catalyst for the Civil Rights Act of 1964, it was another powerful oration—delivered by a Native American housewife nearly twenty years earlier—that led to the first anti-discrimination law in U.S. history: Alaska’s Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945.
Orphaned as a child, Elizabeth was adopted by German-origin parents and assumed their surname. Her father, a Presbyterian minister, preached in Tlingit and influenced her to assert her rights. Although Alaska did not become a state until 1959, it reflected much of the same racism and exclusion that characterized Jim Crow-era America. Elizabeth Peratrovich, an Alaska Native woman from the Lukaax̱.ádi clan of the Tlingit Nation, and her husband Roy—a Tlingit of mixed Native and Serbian descent—were both acutely familiar with daily discrimination in Juneau.
In the 1940s, throughout Alaska, hotels and businesses commonly refused service to Native Alaskans, while housing and schools remained segregated. As leaders of the Alaska Native Brotherhood and Alaska Native Sisterhood respectively, the Peratroviches advocated for change, writing to the territorial governor Ernest Greuning, and urging him to advance a 1941 anti-discrimination bill. Greuning was a liberal politician, keen to see Alaskan Natives obtain civil rights, but the Second World War stalled progress as the Japanese set their sights on the Alaska Territory and priorities shifted.
Native Alaskans vigorously signed up to serve in World War II; during the War, many Alaskan Natives were displaced into substandard housing and would return to their villages to find their homes ransacked. Like Black soldiers, Alaska Natives fought for a country that denied them the most fundamental of freedoms and rights.
That early effort for civil rights ended in a legislative deadlock in 1943. By 1945, when it was raised again, the Territorial Senate had been doubled in size, which would make civil rights attainment more plausible.
During arguments opposing the Bill, detractors claimed that passing an anti-discrimination law would not "end” discrimination. To that argument, Elizabeth declaimed: “Do your laws against larceny and even murder prevent those crimes? No law will eliminate crimes, but at least you legislators can assert to the world that you recognize the evil of the present situation and speak of your intent to help us overcome discrimination.” Her courageous and honest words swayed most of the audience in the hearing chamber, including members of the general public. The bill passed, 11-5, a decade before Brown v. Board.
Elizabeth and Roy spent the next two years encouraging fellow Native Alaskans to run for seats in the legislature. By the time a renewed anti-discrimination bill came before the Alaska Senate, two Native members had joined the chamber. Still, opposition was fierce—one territorial senator infamously described Native Alaskans as “people... barely out of savagery,” compared to “us whites, with 5,000 years of recorded civilization.”
Elizabeth Peratrovich responded with a memorable and impassioned speech. Her articulation of the daily indignities and injustices suffered by upstanding, patriotic citizens moved the chamber, reducing opposition to what the local newspaper called a mere “defensive whisper.”
The bill passed 11–5, ensuring “full and equal enjoyment” of public accommodations for all Alaskans and banning discriminatory signage based on race. Since 1988, February 16 has been celebrated as Elizabeth Peratrovich Day in Alaska.
Betty Mae Tiger Jumper - April 27, 1923–January 14, 2011 - Seminole Leader and National Influencer
Born into the Seminole Snake Clan in Indiantown, Florida, Betty Mae Tiger Jumper grew up at the intersection of tradition and adversity. As the daughter of a Seminole mother and a white father, she faced intense discrimination—even threats to her life—from within her community; intermarriage was so strongly discouraged that mixed-race children were sometimes left in danger of abandonment or worse.
At the age of five, Betty Mae and her brother survived threats from medicine men thanks to her family’s courage and intervention, relocating to the Dania reservation where the U.S. government offered protection. Given access to Florida’s segregated schools, Betty Mae was sent first to a Cherokee boarding school in North Carolina, becoming the first of her tribe to obtain a high school diploma in 1945, and later the first Seminole to graduate from a nursing program.
She started to learn English in her teens—another “first” among Seminole children at the time. Her formative years ignited a passion for serving her tribe: “I had three goals in my life—to finish school, to take nurse’s training and come back and work among my people, and to write three books. I met those goals and many more.”
When Betty Mae returned to Florida, her nursing career flourished as she worked side by side with her mother, a midwife, as well as tribal medicine people. She traveled throughout the Big Cypress, Brighton, and Hollywood reservations, dedicating forty years to vaccinating children, improving health care, and urging women to seek hospital care when necessary—carefully threading the needle between tradition and modern medicine.
As Director of Communications, she co-founded the Seminole News, later the award-winning Seminole Tribune, where she became renowned for both her journalism and storytelling; she won the Native American Journalists Association’s first Lifetime Achievement Award.
Her leadership extended to the political realm. In 1967, Betty Mae was elected the first female chairperson of the Seminole Tribe of Florida, just a decade after its federal recognition. She helped draft the tribe’s first constitution and founded the United South and Eastern Tribes (USET), a national advocacy alliance. President Nixon appointed her to the National Congress on Indian Opportunity in 1970, a rare honor for a Native woman at the time. Under her stewardship, the Seminoles overcame financial hardship and built sustainable programs for health and education.
Betty Mae’s vision reached far beyond policy. As an author of books like A Seminole Legend, Legends of the Seminoles, and countless articles, she ensured Seminole stories would be preserved for future generations. She received honors including a Robert F. Kennedy (Senior!) Journalism Award, Woman of the Year in Florida, and an honorary doctorate from Florida State University.
What These Women Knew, and What We Must Remember
As we look back over the lives of Wilma Mankiller, Elizabeth Wanamaker Peratrovich, and Betty Mae Tiger Jumper, it’s impossible not to draw a connection between their grit and vision and the extreme challenges we face today.
Each of these women stepped into leadership when their people were pushed to the margins by a system determined to erase their presence.
Through relentless advocacy, impossible odds, and a refusal to be silenced, they forged paths for Native and marginalized communities long before the headlines caught up. Like all the Foremothers we celebrate in this series, their stories are not simply echoes from another era—they’re roadmaps for resilience in a political climate where justice and equity remain under siege.
Postscript: "Project 562"… and counting…
Our recent move from Seattle brought about an extreme “downsizing”—an activity that is not for the faint of heart. For me, one of the hardest parts of lightening our footprint was dispatching with decades worth of books: novels, art books, coffee-table tomes (it seems that every time I went to a major museum exhibit, I bought the catalog!), souvenir- and guide-books related to decades of travel, some I'd had since high school. I’d say between my husband and me, 40 boxes of books got reduced to four.
One of the ones that I did keep was (the heavy) coffee table resource Project 562, a groundbreaking photography and storytelling book by Matika Wilbur. I couldn’t let this one go to Goodwill (did I mention no one buys books anymore?) It documents the lives, cultures, and stories of hundreds of Native American tribes across the US through vivid portraits and personal narratives. It’s the kind of book you want to just pick up now and again, to learn from and also open your eyes to the diversity and vibrancy of today’s Native communities.
I was curious about the title, “Project 562,” and did some research to discover that when the project began in 2012, there were 562 federally recognized Native American tribes in the United States. Since Wilbur first set out to visit and document members of every one of those nations, the number of federally recognized tribes has grown (it stands at 574 in 2025).
But, you may wonder, how many actual tribes are there, not just federally recognized ones, and what is the distinction?
The answer is layered. Beyond the federally acknowledged tribes, another 66 tribes are recognized by the US states within which they are located. While some of these tribes are counted on both lists, but many exist solely at the state level, with rights and resources limited compared to their federally recognized relatives.
But wait, there’s more. There are also many unrecognized Native communities whose identities and legacies span generations, but who remain outside any government’s lists. While they are immensely significant in terms of culture, heritage, and activism, they do not enjoy the same legal status, protections, or access to funding as the recognized Tribes. These groups often spend years fighting to have their sovereignty and existence formally acknowledged.
Federal, state, or unrecognized, each Tribe reflects the struggle and success of a people and the ongoing quest to attain identity, leadership, rights, and thrivance. (I love this word, “thrivance,” which, even though not yet recognized by MS Word, means “flourishing, self-determination, and cultural continuity.”)
Thanks for reading this edition of #SistoryLessons, a biweekly newsletter that uses the lessons from Foremothers who led the way as encouragement and guide for these times of resilience. The series is based on stories from my award-winning book, Our Brave Foremothers: Celebrating 100 Black, Brown, Asian, and Indigenous Women Who Changed the Course of History, and other, ongoing research.