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List of Native American firsts

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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This is a list of Native American firsts. Native American people were the first people to live in the area that is now known as the United States.[1] This is a chronological list of the first accomplishments that Native Americans have achieved both through their tribal identities and also through the culture of the United States over time. It includes individuals and groups of people who are indigenous to contemporary United States. This includes Native Americans in the United States, which includes American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians.

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16th century

1530s

1539

1580s

1581

1587

17th century

1610s

1615

  • First Native American received as royalty by English royalty: Pocahontas (Powhatan).[5]
  • The Huron people first act as middlemen for French traders and other Native American tribes.[6]

1620s

  • First Native American in New England to meet with settlers leading to ratify a peace treaty: Massaoit (Wampanoag).[7]

1630s

1638

1660s

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Eliot Indian Bible page

1663

1665

1670s

1670

1672

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18th century

1760s

1765

1770s

1772

  • First published literary work by a Native American: A Sermon Preached at the Execution of Moses Paul, an Indian by Samson Occom (Mohegan).[9]

1790s

1794

  • First Native American published, written report of other Native American peoples in the English language: A Short Narration of My Last Journey to the Western Country by Hendrick Aupaumut (Mohican).[9]

19th century

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William McIntosh, Muscogee leader

1810s

1812

1820s

1821

1822

1825

1827

1828

1829

1840s

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Wa-o-wa-wa-na-onk or Peter Wilson

1844

1847

1850s

1854

  • First novel published by a Native American: The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murietta by John Rollin Ridge (Cherokee).[24]
  • First Native American student periodical publication, A Wreath of Cherokee Rose Buds.[25]

1856

1857

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John Rollin Ridge (Cherokee)

1860s

1861

1865

1867

1869

1870s

1870

1875

1878

1879

  • First Native American declared "a person within the meaning of the law" in the United States: Standing Bear (Ponca).[36]

1880s

1881

1883

1886

  • First privately owned Chippewa periodical: The Progress founded by Theodore H. Beaulieu and Gustave Beaulieu (Chippewa/Ojibwe).[39]

1889

  • First Native American woman to earn a Western medical degree from a Western college: Susan La Flesche (Omaha).[38]
  • First documented Native American U.S. Army nurses: Susan Bordeaux, Ella Clark, Anna B. Pleets, Josephine Two Bears (all Lakota).[40]

1890s

1891

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Susan La Flesche Picotte (Omaha)

1892

  • First Native American elected to the United States House of Representatives: Charles Curtis (Kaw/Osage/Potawatomi).[33]
  • First Native American playwright: Gowongo Mohawk (Seneca), author of Wep-Ton-No-Mah, The Indian Mail Carrier (1892).

1893

1897

1898

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20th century

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Lewis Tewanima (Hopi)

1900s

1903

1904

1908

  • First tribal newspaper published for the Quileute people: The Quileute Independent created by Webster Hudson (Quileute).[44]
  • First paniolos to win at the Frontier Days rodeo competition: Ikua Purdy (Native Hawaiian), Archie Ka'au'a (Native Hawaiian), and Jack Low (Native Hawaiian).[46]

1909

1910s

1910

1911

1912

1913

1916

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Choctaw Code Talkers in training

1918

  • First known use of Indigenous Code Talkers as part of a U.S. military effort: Choctaw, Cherokee, and Navajo were all Code Talkers in World War I.[58]

1920s

1921

1922

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Alice Brown Davis, first woman chief of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma

1923

1924

1926

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Zitkala Sa (Yankton Dakota) in 1898

1927

1929

  • First Native American to serve as Vice President of the United States: Charles Curtis (Kaw/Osage/Potawatomi).[73]

1930s

1930

1932

1935

1939

1940s

1941

1942

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Dance Magazine July 1961 cover featuring Maria Tallchief (Osage)

1943

1944

1945

1946

1949

  • First Hopi to earn the Indian Achievement Award from the Indian Council Fire: Fred Kabotie (Hopi).[94]

1950s

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Herbert K Pililaau (Native Hawaiian)

1950

1952

1953

1956

1957

1958

1959

1960s

  • First Native American pharmacist: Francis Quam (Zuni).[101]
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Ben Nighthorse Campbell (Northern Cheyenne) talks to news crew.

1960

  • First Native American to own an FTD floral shop: Nunny Waano-Gano (Karuk).[102]

1961

1962

1963

1964

1966

1967

1969

1970s

1970

1971

  • First Native American job corps center founded: The Kicking Horse Regional Manpower Center.[109]
  • First Native American elected to the North Dakota state legislature: Arthur Raymond (Dakota/Oglala).[110]
  • First Navajo to earn a doctorate in physics: Fred Begay (Navajo).[111]

1972

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Article from Osawatomie about the Pine Ridge shootout

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1980s

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Wilma Mankiller (Cherokee Nation) and Bill Clinton in 1998

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990s

1990

1991

1993

  • First play-by-play of an NBA game in a Native language is broadcast in Navajo.[113]

1994

1995

1996

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Cheri Masden (Omaha) in 2013

1997

1998

1999

  • First Navajo to earn a doctorate in history: Jennifer Denetdale (Navajo).[163]
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21st century

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2000s

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John Herrington (Chickasaw Nation)

2000

2001

2002

2003

2004

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National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

2005

2006

2007

2008

2010s

2010

2011

2012

2014

2015

2016

2017

2018

2019

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Barack Obama and Kimberly Teehee (Cherokee Nation), April 27, 2021

2020s

2020

2021

2022

2023

2024

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See also

References

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