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Presidential Medal of Freedom Recipient Wilma Mankiller
Former Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma - as the leader of the Cherokee people she represented the second largest tribe in the United States, the largest being the Dine (Navajo) Tribe - she was the first female in modern history to lead a major Native American tribe and has become known not only for her community leadership but also for her spiritual presence.
Former Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller proudly displays the Presidential Medal of Freedom she was awarded by U.S. President Bill Clinton. She is pictured at a reception held in her honor at the Cherokee Heritage Center on Sunday, January 18, 1998. Approximately 300 people attended the reception.
Photo by David Cornsilk
Wilma Pearl Mankiller was born in Tahlequah, Oklahoma on November 18, 1945. She was the first female Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma in 1985, following the resignation of Chief Ross Swimmer, who left to head the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Initially, Mankiller faced much opposition, much of which was the result of sexism. However, in 1987, after a landslide victory, Mankiller became the first freely-elected Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma. Mankiller was again elected Chief in 1991, but resigned in 1995 for health reasons.
As a people, the Cherokee are highly proud of Wilma, who remains perhaps the most celebrated Cherokee of the twentieth century. "Prior to my election," says Mankiller, "young Cherokee girls would never have thought that they might grow up and become chief." While the current Chief of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, Chad 'Corntassel' Smith, is a male, the precedent stands.
Mankiller's autobiography, Mankiller: A Chief and Her People, became a national bestseller.
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Medal History
