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Native American women in politics

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Native American women have played significant roles in politics, both within their tribal nations and in broader American political life. Their involvement spans from traditional governance systems to participation in local, state, and national levels of government in the United States. These contributions have been shaped by historical, cultural, and legal factors, particularly the intersection of Native sovereignty and U.S. political structures.

History

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Zitkala-Ša c. 1921, co-founder of the National Council of American Indians
LaDonna Harris in 1980, founder of Americans for Indian Opportunity
Further information: Native Americans and women's suffrage in the United States

Before European colonization of the United States, many Native American tribes practiced matriarchal or egalitarian governance systems where women held significant power in decision-making, clan leadership, and property rights.[1] In several tribes, such as the Iroquois Confederacy, women played an influential role in political processes, including selecting leaders and making important tribal decisions.[1]

The arrival of European settlers disrupted these traditional structures through colonization, forced assimilation policies, and the establishment of the U.S. government's legal frameworks, which often excluded Native women from formal political participation.[2] Despite these challenges, Native American women continued to assert their influence within their communities and, over time, in the broader U.S. political system.[2]

In the early 20th century, Native American women became active in advocating for civil rights, including citizenship and voting rights.[3] The Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 granted U.S. citizenship to Native Americans, but many states continued to deny Native people, including women, the right to vote until after the passage of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.[3] Native women like Zitkala-Ša pushed for greater rights.[4] Zitkala-Ša, a Yankton Dakota Sioux writer and activist, co-founded the National Council of American Indians in 1926, where she advocated for Native sovereignty, education reform, and women's rights.[4]

The mid-20th century saw a resurgence of Native American political activism, particularly during the American Indian Movement (AIM) of the 1960s and 1970s.[5] Native women participated actively in these movements, calling attention to issues like treaty rights, land reclamation, and cultural preservation.[5] During this era, Native women also began to take on more prominent roles in national politics.[6] For example, LaDonna Harris, a Comanche activist, founded Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO) in 1970, which focused on advancing the political, economic, and cultural rights of Indigenous peoples.[6] Wilma Mankiller, a member of the Cherokee Nation, rose to national prominence as the first female chief of the Cherokee Nation, serving from 1985 to 1995.[7] Mankiller's leadership focused on self-governance, community development, and improving the status of women within the tribe.[7]

Native American women in federal and state politics

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Cora Reynolds Anderson in 1924, first Native American woman state legislator
Sharice Davids, U.S. representative
Deb Haaland, U.S. Secretary of the Interior
Further information: Native Americans in United States elections

Native American women have increasingly held elected positions at the state and federal levels, representing a wide range of tribes and political perspectives.[8][9] In 1924, Cora Reynolds Anderson became the first Native American woman to secure a seat in a state legislature.[10] Sharice Davids, a member of the Ho-Chunk Nation, and Deb Haaland, a member of the Laguna Pueblo, made history in 2018 when they became the first Native American women elected to the U.S. Congress.[8] Both Davids and Haaland emphasized issues of Native sovereignty, healthcare, and environmental protection during their campaigns.[9]

In August 2019, principal chief Chuck Hoskin Jr. appointed Kimberly Teehee as the Cherokee Nation's first-ever delegate to the United States House of Representatives.[11] In 2021, Victoria Holland was selected by the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians as a congressional delegate, arguing they hold the same rights as the Cherokee Nation and Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians to do so.[12]

In 2021, Haaland became the first Native American to serve as a Cabinet secretary when she was appointed as the United States Secretary of the Interior by U.S. president Joe Biden.[13] In this role, she has been responsible for managing public lands, overseeing relations with Native American tribes, and addressing environmental challenges such as climate change.[14] In 2022, Mary Peltola became the first Alaska Native member of Congress.[15][16]

At the state level, Native American women have also made significant strides.[17] Denise Juneau, a member of the Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation, served as the Superintendent of Public Instruction of the State of Montana and was the first Native American woman to win a statewide executive position.[17] Her work focused on improving education for all Montanans, with a particular emphasis on Indigenous students.[17]

Contemporary activism and challenges

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Activists for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW) at the 2018 Women's March in San Francisco

Native American women remain key figures in addressing a variety of political and social issues, including healthcare disparities, missing and murdered Indigenous women (MMIW), environmental protection, and tribal sovereignty.[18] Many Native women politicians and activists continue to highlight the unique challenges facing Native communities, particularly those living in rural and remote areas.[19] The MMIW movement has gained significant national attention, largely due to the efforts of Native women activists and lawmakers.[20] The issue of violence against Native women, exacerbated by legal complexities involving jurisdiction on tribal lands, has led to calls for legal reforms and increased federal support.[20]

Native American women face obstacles to political participation.[21] Structural inequalities, including the underfunding of Native communities, lack of access to education, and geographic isolation, pose significant challenges.[21] Native women often navigate complex dual political identities, balancing their roles within tribal governance systems and the broader U.S. political framework.[21]

Furthermore, political representation for Native American women remains limited, with few holding elected office compared to other demographic groups.[6] However, efforts to increase voter turnout in Native communities, improve representation in political bodies, and address the systemic barriers to participation are ongoing.[6]

Notable Native American women in politics

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References

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  1. ^ a b Richter, Daniel K. (1992). The Ordeal of the Longhouse: The Peoples of the Iroquois League in the Era of European Colonization. UNC Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-4394-9.
  2. ^ a b Cahill, Cathleen D. (2011). Federal Fathers & Mothers: A Social History of the United States Indian Service, 1869-1933. Univ of North Carolina Press. ISBN 978-0-8078-3472-5.
  3. ^ a b Charles, Michael. Native Voting Rights and the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Native Governance Center.
  4. ^ a b c Anderson, Margo J. (2015-08-25). The American Census: A Social History, Second Edition. Yale University Press. doi:10.2307/j.ctvb1htjr. ISBN 978-0-300-21696-7.
  5. ^ a b Smith, Paul Chaat; Warrior, Robert Allen (1996). Like a Hurricane: The Indian Movement from Alcatraz to Wounded Knee. The New Press. ISBN 978-1-56584-402-5.
  6. ^ a b c d e Gibson, Arrell Morgan (1980). The American Indian: Prehistory to the Present. D. C. Heath. ISBN 978-0-669-04493-5.
  7. ^ a b c Mankiller, Wilma Pearl; Wallis, Michael (1993). Mankiller: A Chief and Her People. St. Martin's Press. ISBN 978-0-312-09868-1.
  8. ^ a b c Watkins, Eli (2018-11-07). "First Native American women elected to Congress: Sharice Davids and Deb Haaland". CNN. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  9. ^ a b Reilly, Katie (2018-11-07). "Democrats in Kansas, New Mexico Become First Native American Women Elected to Congress". TIME. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  10. ^ a b c "Indigenous Women Politicians You Should Know About | Gender on the Ballot". www.genderontheballot.org. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  11. ^ a b "Cherokee Nation Seeks Congressional Delegate". www.newson6.com. Retrieved 2019-08-19.
  12. ^ a b "Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma could get first delegate to Congress in 200 years". The Guardian. 2022-11-16. Retrieved 2023-11-16.
  13. ^ a b Fears, Darryl (March 15, 2021). "Haaland confirmed by Senate as first Native American to lead Interior". Washington Post. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  14. ^ Rott, Nathan (February 23, 2021). "Interior Nominee Deb Haaland Faces Tough Questions On Climate Goals". NPR. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  15. ^ a b Jonassen, Text Trine. "Mary Peltola, First Alaska Native in US Congress, Secures Full Term". www.highnorthnews.com.
  16. ^ Brodey, Sam (October 21, 2022). "How a Democrat Won a State With Just 12% Dem Voters". The Daily Beast. Archived from the original on November 2, 2022. Retrieved October 21, 2022.
  17. ^ a b c d "A Commitment to Education Justice". Harvard Graduate School of Education. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  18. ^ Deer, Sarah (2015). The Beginning and End of Rape: Confronting Sexual Violence in Native America. University of Minnesota Press. ISBN 978-0-8166-9633-8. JSTOR 10.5749/j.ctt17w8gfr.
  19. ^ Rosay, André B. (2016). "Violence Against American Indian and Alaska Native Women and Men" (PDF). National Institute of Justice. Retrieved 2024-09-13.
  20. ^ a b Tsosie, Rebecca (2003). "Tribalism, Constiutionalism, and Cultural Pluralism: Where do Indigenous Peoples Fit Within Civil Society". University of Pennsylvania Journal of Constitutional Law. 5 (2): 357. ISSN 1521-2823.
  21. ^ a b c Martinez, Donna (2020). Native Women's Political Activism: Women of Color Pressing for Racial Equality in Washington. Lexington Books.
  22. ^ Morrison, Eric (2009-02-17). "Hundreds honor civil rights leader". Juneau Empire. Archived from the original on 2015-10-25. Retrieved 2013-09-11.
  23. ^ Brand, Johanna (1993). The life and death of Anna Mae Aquash (2nd ed.). Toronto: J. Lorimer & Co. ISBN 978-1-55028-422-5.
  24. ^ Department of the Interior, National Park Service American Battlefield Protection Program (19 May 1976). "Technical Report: Battle of Great Falls / Wissatinnewag-Peskeompskut" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 29 December 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  25. ^ Dayton, Kim (2015-10-23). ""Trespassers, Beware!": Lyda Burton Conley and the Battle for Huron Place Cemetery" (PDF). Yale Journal of Law and Feminism. hdl:20.500.13051/7208. Retrieved 2024-06-07.
  26. ^ Becenti, Arlyssa D. (January 23, 2023). "After women made historic gains, Navajo Nation Council elects first female speaker". The Arizona Republic. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  27. ^ "President Clinton Names Ada Deer As Assistant Secretary For Indian Affairs | Indian Affairs". www.bia.gov. Retrieved October 19, 2021.
  28. ^ Taylor, Rory (2018-12-03). "The Nation's Highest-Ranking Native Woman Elected to Executive Office Has a Message for Indigenous Youth". Teen Vogue. Retrieved 2024-06-21.
  29. ^ "GOP makes history with number of women elected to Congress in 2020". The Washington Post via YouTube. Retrieved May 5, 2021.
  30. ^ Smiley, Sage (2024-11-21). "Toksook Bay's Nellie Jimmie will represent the Lower Kuskokwim in the Alaska House". KYUK. Retrieved 2024-11-23.
  31. ^ "Indigenous leaders elected". Ict News. November 9, 2022. Retrieved 2022-11-10.
  32. ^ "Designers Responsible for Their Creations". The Dispatch. 1983-05-08. p. 6. Retrieved 2024-09-13.


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