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. 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 The culture of the United States of America is primarily of Western, and European origin, yet its influences includes the cultures of Asian American, African American, Latin American, and Native American peoples and their cultures. The Un ...

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 Alaska Natives (also known as Alaskan Natives, Native Alaskans, Indigenous Alaskans, Aboriginal Alaskans or First Alaskans) are the indigenous peoples of Alaska and include Iñupiat, Yupik, Aleut, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and a numbe ...

, and Native Hawaiians. {, id="toc" class="toc" summary="Contents" ! ● ● \_______/ , ,

16th century The 16th century begins with the Julian year 1501 ( MDI) and ends with either the Julian or the Gregorian year 1600 ( MDC) (depending on the reckoning used; the Gregorian calendar introduced a lapse of 10 days in October 1582). The 16th cent ...

: 1500s-1540s • 1550s-1590s

17th century The 17th century lasted from January 1, 1601 ( MDCI), to December 31, 1700 ( MDCC). It falls into the early modern period of Europe and in that continent (whose impact on the world was increasing) was characterized by the Baroque cultural moveme ...

: 1600s-1650s • 1660s-1690s

18th century The 18th century lasted from January 1, 1701 ( MDCCI) to December 31, 1800 ( MDCCC). During the 18th century, elements of Enlightenment thinking culminated in the American, French, and Haitian Revolutions. During the century, slave trad ...

: 1700s–1750s • 1750s–1790s•

19th century The 19th (nineteenth) century began on 1 January 1801 ( MDCCCI), and ended on 31 December 1900 ( MCM). The 19th century was the ninth century of the 2nd millennium. The 19th century was characterized by vast social upheaval. Slavery was abolis ...

1800s 1800s may refer to: * The century from 1800 to 1899, almost synonymous with the 19th century (1801–1900) * 1800s (decade) File:1800s collage.jpg, 420x420px, From top left, clockwise: Napoleon Bonaparte is crowned Emperor of the French Empire and ...

• 1810s •

1820s File:1820s collage.jpg, 420x420px, From top left, clockwise: Ludwig van Beethoven re-emerged as a popular composer during this decade, when his iconic Symphony No. 9 is first performed in Vienna in 1824. The First Industrial Revolution achieves ...

•

1830s The 1830s (pronounced "eighteen-thirties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1830, and ended on December 31, 1839. In this decade, the world saw a rapid rise of imperialism and colonialism, particularly in Asia an ...

•

1840s The 1840s (pronounced "eighteen-forties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1840, and ended on December 31, 1849. The decade was noted in Europe for featuring the largely unsuccessful Revolutions of 1848, also know ...

•

1850s The 1850s (pronounced "eighteen-fifties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1850, and ended on December 31, 1859. It was a very turbulent decade, as wars such as the Crimean War, shifted and shook European politic ...

•

1860s The 1860s (pronounced "eighteen-sixties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1860, and ended on December 31, 1869. The decade was noted for featuring numerous major societal shifts in the Americas. In the United St ...

•

1870s The 1870s (pronounced "eighteen-seventies") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1870, and ended on December 31, 1879. The trends of the previous decade continued into this one, as new empires, imperialism and militar ...

•

1880s The 1880s (pronounced "eighteen-eighties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1880, and ended on December 31, 1889. The period was characterized in general by economic growth and prosperity in many parts of the world, ...

•

1890s The 1890s (pronounced "eighteen-nineties") was a decade of the Gregorian calendar that began on January 1, 1890, and ended on December 31, 1899. In the United States, the 1890s were marked by a severe economic depression sparked by the Panic of ...

20th century The 20th (twentieth) century began on January 1, 1901 ( MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 ( MM). The 20th century was dominated by significant events that defined the modern era: Spanish flu pandemic, World War I and World War II, nuclear ...

1900s The 1900s may refer to: * 1900s (decade), the decade from 1900 to 1909 * The century from 1900 to 1999, almost synonymous with the 20th century The 20th (twentieth) century began on January 1, 1901 ( MCMI), and ended on December 31, 2000 ( MM ...

•

1910s File:1910s montage.png, From left, clockwise: The Ford Model T is introduced and becomes widespread; The Sinking of the RMS Titanic, sinking of the R.M.S. Titanic, ''RMS Titanic'' causes the deaths of nearly 1,500 people and attracts global and h ...

•

1920s File:1920s decade montage.png, From left, clockwise: Third Tipperary Brigade Flying Column No. 2 under Seán Hogan during the Irish War of Independence; Prohibition agents destroying barrels of alcohol in accordance to the 18th amendment, whic ...

•

1930s File:1930s decade montage.png, From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson shows the effects of the Great Depression; due to extreme drought conditions, farms across the south-central United States become dry a ...

•

1940s File:1940s decade montage.png, Above title bar: events during World War II (1939–1945): From left to right: Troops in an LCVP landing craft approaching Omaha Beach on D-Day; Adolf Hitler visits Paris, soon after the Battle of France; The Holoca ...

•

1950s The 1950s (pronounced nineteen-fifties; commonly abbreviated as the "Fifties" or the " '50s") (among other variants) was a decade that began on January 1, 1950, and ended on December 31, 1959. Throughout the decade, the world continued its re ...

•

1960s File:1960s montage.png, Clockwise from top left: U.S. soldiers during the Vietnam War; the Beatles led the British Invasion of the U.S. music market; a half-a-million people participate in the 1969 Woodstock Festival; Neil Armstrong and Buzz ...

•

1970s File:1970s decade montage.jpg, Clockwise from top left: U.S. President Richard Nixon doing the V for Victory sign after his resignation from office following the Watergate scandal in 1974; The United States was still involved in the Vietnam War i ...

•

1980s File:1980s replacement montage02.PNG, 420px, From left, clockwise: The first Space Shuttle, ''Columbia'', lifts off in 1981; US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev ease tensions between the two superpowers, leading to the ...

•

1990s File:1990s decade montage.png, From top left, clockwise: The Hubble Space Telescope orbits the Earth after it was launched in 1990; American F-16s and F-15s fly over burning oil fields in Operation Desert Storm, also known as the 1991 Gulf War ...

21st century The 21st (twenty-first) century is the current century in the ''Anno Domini'' era or Common Era, under the Gregorian calendar. It began on 1 January 2001 ( MMI) and will end on 31 December 2100 ( MMC). Marking the beginning of the 21st centur ...

2000s File:2000s decade montage3.png, From top left, clockwise: The World Trade Center on fire and the Statue of Liberty during the 9/11 attacks in 2001; the euro enters into European currency in 2002; a statue of Saddam Hussein being toppled durin ...

•

2010s File:2010s collage v21.png, From top left, clockwise: Anti-government protests called the Arab Spring arose in 2010–2011, and as a result, many governments were overthrown, including when Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi was Death of Muammar Gadd ...

•

2020s The 2020s (pronounced "twenty-twenties" shortened to "the '20s" and referred to as the twenties) is the current decade, which began on January 1, 2020, and will end on December 31, 2029. The 2020s began with the COVID-19 pandemic — the first ...

16th century

1530s

1539 * Indigenous peoples of Florida have first contact with the

Hernando de Soto Hernando de Soto (; ; 1500 – 21 May, 1542) was a Spanish explorer and '' conquistador'' who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire ...

Expedition, marking first contact with Spaniards and African people for many

Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, Southeastern cultures, or Southeast Indians are an ethnographic classification for Native Americans who have traditionally inhabited the area now part of the Southeastern United States and the nor ...

1580s

1581 * The

Navajo The Navajo (; British English: Navaho; nv, Diné or ') are a Native American people of the Southwestern United States. With more than 399,494 enrolled tribal members , the Navajo Nation is the largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...

make first contact with the Spanish. 1587 * First recorded Protestant christianing of a Native American: Christening of Manteo (

Croatan The Croatan were a small Native American ethnic group living in the coastal areas of what is now North Carolina. They might have been a branch of the larger Roanoke people or allied with them. The Croatan lived in current Dare County, an a ...

1610

1615 * First Native American received as royalty by English royalty: Pocahontas ( Powhatan).

17th century

1610s

1615 * The Huron people first act as middlemen for French traders and other Native American tribes.

1620s

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

1630s

1638 * First American Indian reservation established: Quinnipiac Nation.

1660s

1663 * First published writing by a Native American in the Americas: ''Honoratissimi Benefactores'' by Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck ( Wampanoag). * First Bible published in the Americas: ''The Eliot Indian Bible'' is printed in Natick and one of the translators, James Printer ( Nipmuc) became the first Native American to use a printing press. 1665 * First Native American graduate of Harvard University: Caleb Cheeshahteaumuck ( Wampanoag).

1670s

1670 * First Native American ordained as a Christian clergy member:

Hiacoomes Hiacoomes (~1610s – 1690) was a Wampanoag American Indian from the island of Martha's Vineyard, (Wampanoag: ), who in 1643 became the first member of his society to convert to Christianity under the tutelage of the missionary Thomas Mayhew Jr. ...

( Wampanoag). 1672 * Native Americans served as first mail couriers between New York City and Albany.

18th century

1760s

1765 * First Native American recorded as preaching Christianity to a non-Native audience: Samson Occom ( Mohegan).

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).

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 Hendrick Aupaumut (1757-1830) was a Mohican historian and diplomat, born among the Stockbridge Indians in Massachusetts, United States, who were originally from the Hudson River Valley. He was educated by Moravians and converted to Protestantism. ...

( Mohican).

19th century

1810s

1812 * First Native American commissioned brigadier general in the United States Army: William McIntosh ( Muscogee).

1820s

1821 * Cherokee syllabary is first adopted by the Cherokee Nation general council: created by

Sequoyah Sequoyah (Cherokee language, Cherokee: ᏍᏏᏉᏯ, ''Ssiquoya'', or ᏎᏉᏯ, ''Se-quo-ya''; 1770 – August 1843), also known as George Gist or George Guess, was a Native Americans in the United States, Native American polymath of the Ch ...

( Cherokee, ca. 1770–1843) 1822 * First Native American admitted to West Point and first Native American graduate: David Moniac ( Muscogee). 1825 * First Iroquois person to publish the oral histories of the Haudenosaunee: David Cusick (

Tuscarora Tuscarora may refer to the following: First nations and Native American people and culture * Tuscarora people **''Federal Power Commission v. Tuscarora Indian Nation'' (1960) * Tuscarora language, an Iroquoian language of the Tuscarora people * ...

) in ''

Sketches of the Ancient History of the Six Nations ''Sketches of the Ancient History of the Six Nations'', by the Tuscarora David Cusick, is a mytho-historical narrative about the Iroquois Confederacy of six tribes: the Mohawk, Oneida, Onondaga, Cayuga, Seneca and, later, the Tuscarora. First ...

''. 1827 * The

Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation (Cherokee: ᏣᎳᎩᎯ ᎠᏰᎵ ''Tsalagihi Ayeli'' or ᏣᎳᎩᏰᎵ ''Tsalagiyehli''), also known as the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma, is the largest of three Cherokee federally recognized tribes in the United States. It ...

adopts its first modern constitution. 1828 * First Native American newspaper and first newspaper published in an Indigenous language: ''

The Cherokee Phoenix The ''Cherokee Phoenix'' ( chr, ᏣᎳᎩ ᏧᎴᎯᏌᏅᎯ, translit=Tsalagi Tsulehisanvhi) is the first newspaper published by Native Americans in the United States and the first published in a Native American language. The first issue was pu ...

''. First editor of the paper was Buck Watie ( Cherokee). 1829 * First full-length autobiography published by a Native American: ''A Son of the Forest'' by William Apess ( Pequot). * First book published using the Cherokee syllabary: ''Cherokee Hymn Book'' printed by Elias Boudinot ( Cherokee) and a New England missionary.

1840s

1844 * First known Native American person to earn a Western medical degree from Western college:

Wa-o-wa-wa-na-onk Wa-o-wa-wa-na-onk or Peter Wilson (died 1871, alternate spellings are Waowawanaonk, Wau-wah-wa-na-onk, and De jih'-non-da-weh-hoh) was a Cayuga physician and possible chief. His name translates roughly to "They Heard His Voice" or "The Pacificato ...

(

Cayuga Cayuga often refers to: * Cayuga people, a native tribe to North America, part of the Iroquois Confederacy * Cayuga language, the language of the Cayuga Cayuga may also refer to: Places Canada * Cayuga, Ontario United States * Cayuga, Illinois ...

). 1847 * First full-length travelog by a Native American: ''The Life, History, and Travels of Kah-ge-ga-gah-bowh'' by

George Copway George Copway (1818 – June 27, 1869) was a Mississaugas Ojibwa writer, ethnographer, Methodist missionary, lecturer, and advocate of indigenous peoples. His Ojibwa name was ''Kah-Ge-Ga-Gah-Bowh'' (''Gaagigegaabaw'' in the Fiero orthography), mean ...

( Ojibwe).

1850s

1854 * First novel published by a Native American: ''The Life and Adventures of Joaquin Murietta'' by John Rollin Ridge ( Cherokee). * First Native American student periodical publication, ''A Wreath of Cherokee Rose Buds''. 1856 * First governor of the Chickasaw Nation after the adoption of the new constitution:

Cyrus Harris Cyrus H. Harris (August 22, 1817 – January 6, 1888), a mixed-blood Chickasaw born in Mississippi, was elected the first Governor of the Chickasaw Nation, and served five non-consecutive two-year terms. Although his formal schooling was limited a ...

( Chickasaw). * First Native American ordained as a Roman Catholic priest: James Bouchard (

Lenape The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory includ ...

). 1857 * First Native American editor of non-native publication: John Rollin Ridge ( Cherokee) who was the founding editor of the '' Sacramento Bee''. John_Rollin_Ridge

1860s

1861 * First Native American professional track athlete: Louis "Deerfoot" Bennett ( Seneca). 1865 * First person to ride the

Chisholm Trail The Chisholm Trail was a trail used in the post-Civil War era to drive cattle overland from ranches in Texas to Kansas railheads. The trail was established by Black Beaver, a Lenape guide and rancher, and his friend Jesse Chisholm, a Cheroke ...

: Jesse Chisholm ( Cherokee). 1867 * First Native American to earn the rank of brigadier general in the U.S. Army:

Ely Samuel Parker Ely Samuel Parker (1828 – August 31, 1895), born ''Hasanoanda'' ( Tonawanda Seneca), later known as ''Donehogawa'', was a U.S. Army officer, engineer, and tribal diplomat. He was bilingual, speaking both Seneca and English, and became friend ...

( Seneca). 1869 * First Native American to be awarded the Medal of Honor:

Co-Rux-Te-Chod-Ish Co-Rux-Te-Chod-Ish (English: Mad or Angry Bear) was a Pawnee Scout and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Indian Wars of the western United States. He was the first Nativ ...

( Pawnee). * First Native American to work as the Commissioner for Indian Affairs:

( Seneca).

1870s

1870 * First Native American elected as a United States Senator: Hiram Rhodes Revels ( Lumbee). 1875 * First independent Cherokee-owned newspaper published: ''The Indian Progress'' and owned by

Elias C. Boudinot Elias Cornelius Boudinot (August 1, 1835September 27, 1890) was an American politician, lawyer, newspaper editor, and co-founder of the ''Arkansan'' who served as the delegate to the Confederate States House of Representatives representing the ...

( Cherokee). Standing_Bear_LCCN2007682407

1878 * First

Choctaw The Choctaw (in the Choctaw language, Chahta) are a Native American people originally based in the Southeastern Woodlands, in what is now Alabama and Mississippi. Their Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choctaw people are ...

tribal newspaper: ''The Choctaw News''. 1879 * First Native American declared "a person within the meaning of the law" in the United States: Standing Bear (

Ponca The Ponca ( Páⁿka iyé: Páⁿka or Ppáⁿkka pronounced ) are a Midwestern Native American tribe of the Dhegihan branch of the Siouan language group. There are two federally recognized Ponca tribes: the Ponca Tribe of Nebraska and the Ponca ...

1880s

1881 * First Native American

anthropologist An anthropologist is a person engaged in the practice of anthropology. Anthropology is the study of aspects of humans within past and present societies. Social anthropology, cultural anthropology and philosophical anthropology study the norms and ...

Francis La Flesche Francis La Flesche (Omaha, 1857–1932) was the first professional Native American ethnologist; he worked with the Smithsonian Institution. He specialized in Omaha and Osage cultures. Working closely as a translator and researcher with the anthro ...

(

Omaha Omaha ( ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Nebraska and the county seat of Douglas County. Omaha is in the Midwestern United States on the Missouri River, about north of the mouth of the Platte River. The nation's 39th-largest city ...

). 1883 * First Native American woman to publish a book, Sarah Winnemucca (

Northern Paiute Northern may refer to the following: Geography * North, a point in direction * Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe * Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States * Northern Province, Sri Lanka * Northern Range, a r ...

), who published ''Life Among the Piutes: Their Wrongs and Claims''. 1886 * First privately owned Chippewa periodical: ''The Progress'' founded by Theodore H. Beaulieu and

Gustave Beaulieu Gustav, Gustaf or Gustave may refer to: *Gustav (name), a male given name of Old Swedish origin Art, entertainment, and media * ''Primeval'' (film), a 2007 American horror film * ''Gustav'' (film series), a Hungarian series of animated short cart ...

(Chippewa/Ojibwe). 1889 * First Native American woman to earn a Western medical degree from a Western college: Susan La Flesche (

). * First documented Native American U.S. Army nurses: Susan Bordeaux,

Ella Clark Ella Clark (born 8 February 1992) is a British female professional basketball and netball player. Early life Clark is from a well-known British basketball family, her father Mark coached the GB national women's team from 2006 to 2009 and her mo ...

, Anna B. Pleets, Josephine Two Bears (all Lakota).

1890s

1891 * First novel published by a Native American woman: ''Wynema: A Child of the Forest'' by

Sophia Alice Callahan Sophia Alice Callahan (1 January 1868 – 7 January 1894) was a novelist and teacher of Muscogee heritage. Her novel, '' Wynema, a Child of the Forest'' (1891) is thought "to be the first novel written by a Native American woman." Shocked about t ...

( Muscogee). Susan_La_Flesche_Picotte_253_12

1892 * First Native American elected to the United States House of Representatives: Charles Curtis (Kaw/Osage/Potawatomi). * First Native American playwright:

Gowongo Mohawk Gowongo Mohawk (Go-Won-Go/Go-Wan-Go; August 11, 1860 - February 7, 1924) was a Seneca playwright and actor. She was born in Gowanda, New York, Gowanda, New York,Otis, Melissa (2017). "From Iroquoia to Broadway: The Careers of Carrie A. Mohawk and ...

(Seneca), author of ''Wep-Ton-No-Mah, The Indian Mail Carrier'' (1892). 1893 * First independent periodical published by and for the

Osage people The Osage Nation ( ) ( Osage: 𐓁𐒻 𐓂𐒼𐒰𐓇𐒼𐒰͘ ('), "People of the Middle Waters") is a Midwestern Native American tribe of the Great Plains. The tribe developed in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys around 700 BC along ...

: ''The Wah-sha-she'' founded by George E. Tinker (

Osage The Osage Nation, a Native American tribe in the United States, is the source of most other terms containing the word "osage". Osage can also refer to: * Osage language, a Dhaegin language traditionally spoken by the Osage Nation * Osage (Unicode b ...

). * First Native American woman to publish and edit a newspaper:

Norma E. Standley Smiser Norma may refer to: * Norma (given name), a given name (including a list of people with the name) Astronomy *Norma (constellation) *555 Norma, a minor asteroid *Cygnus Arm or Norma Arm, a spiral arm in the Milky Way galaxy Geography *Norma, Lazio ...

(

). 1897 * First Native American to play on a major league baseball team: Louis Sockalexis ( Penobscot). 1898 * First Native American to graduate from

Stanford University Stanford University, officially Leland Stanford Junior University, is a private research university in Stanford, California. The campus occupies , among the largest in the United States, and enrolls over 17,000 students. Stanford is consider ...

John Milton Oskison John Milton Oskison (1874–1947) was a Native American writer, editor and journalist. His fiction focused on the culture clash that mixed-bloods like himself faced. Early life and career Oskison was born the son of John (English) and Rachel Crit ...

( Cherokee).

20th century

1900s

1903 * First tribal newspaper published by the

White Earth Ojibwe The White Earth Band of the Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, also called the White Earth Nation ( oj, Gaa-waabaabiganikaag Anishinaabeg, "People from where there is an abundance of white clay"), is a federally recognized Native American band located ...

: ''The Tomahawk''. 1908 * First tribal newspaper published for the Quileute people: ''The Quileute Independent'' created by Webster Hudson ( Quileute). *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). 1909 * First Native American film actor:

James Young Deer James Young Deer (April 1, 1876 – April 6, 1946), also known as J. Younger Johnson or Jim Young Deer, was actually born James Young Johnson in Washington, D.C. Although he was identified in the early Hollywood trade paper Moving Picture World as ...

( Nanticoke, 1876–1946). *First Native American lawyer to argue a case before the

Supreme Court A supreme court is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts in most legal jurisdictions. Other descriptions for such courts include court of last resort, apex court, and high (or final) court of appeal. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...

Lyda Conley Eliza Burton "Lyda" Conley ( – 1946) was a Wyandot-American lawyer of Native American and European descent, the first woman admitted to the Kansas Bar Association. She was notable for her campaign to prevent the sale and development of the ...

( Wyandot).

1910s

1910 * First Native American to graduate from Yale:

Henry Roe Cloud Henry Roe Cloud (December 28, 1884 – February 9, 1950) was a Ho-Chunk Native American, enrolled in the Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, who served as an educator, college administrator, U.S. federal government official (in the Office of Indian Af ...

(

Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hoocągra or Winnebago (referred to as ''Hotúŋe'' in the neighboring indigenous Iowa-Otoe language), are a Siouan-speaking Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iow ...

). 1911 * First Native American to play in the

NFL The National Football League (NFL) is a professional American football league that consists of 32 teams, divided equally between the American Football Conference (AFC) and the National Football Conference (NFC). The NFL is one of the major ...

: Jim Thorpe ( Sac & Fox Nation). * First US national Native American rights and Progressive Era participation organization managed by Native Americans for Native Americans, the Society of American Indians (1911–1923) 1912 * First Native American to win gold medals for the United States in the Olympic Games: Jim Thorpe ( Sac & Fox Nation). * First American to win an Olympic medal (silver) in the 10,000 meter run:

Lewis Tewanima Louis Tewanima (1888 – January 18, 1969), also known as Tsökahovi Tewanima and Lewis Tewanima, was an American two-time Olympic distance runner and silver medalist in the 10,000 meter run in 1912. He was a Hopi Indian and ran for the Carlis ...

(

Hopi The Hopi are a Native American ethnic group who primarily live on the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona, United States. As of the 2010 census, there are 19,338 Hopi in the country. The Hopi Tribe is a sovereign nation within the Unite ...

). 1913 * First Native American to attend the United States Naval Academy:

Joseph J. Clark Admiral Joseph James "Jocko" Clark, USN (November 12, 1893 – July 13, 1971) was an admiral in the United States Navy, who commanded aircraft carriers during World War II. Born and raised in Indian Territory (which later became part of Oklaho ...

( Cherokee). * First person documented as having reached the summit of Denali: Walter Harper ( Athabascan). * First Native American head coach of a college sports team: Albert Andrew Exendine (

Delaware Tribe The Lenape (, , or Lenape , del, Lënapeyok) also called the Leni Lenape, Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. Their historical territory inclu ...

). 1916 * First

American Indian Day Native American Day is a holiday observed in several states in celebration of Native Americans in the United States, Native American culture. In California and Nevada, the holiday is designated on the fourth Friday of September, whereas in South ...

celebrated in May 1916. The day was created by Red Fox James (

Blackfeet Tribe The Blackfeet Nation ( bla, Aamsskáápipikani, script=Latn, ), officially named the Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation of Montana, is a federally recognized tribe of Siksikaitsitapi people with an Indian reservation in Monta ...

1918 * First known use of Indigenous

Code Talkers A code talker was a person employed by the military during wartime to use a little-known language as a means of secret communication. The term is now usually associated with United States service members during the world wars who used their k ...

as part of a U.S. military effort: Choctaw, Cherokee, and Navajo were all Code Talkers in World War I.

1920s

1921 * First all-Native American National Guard: Haskell unit of the

Kansas National Guard The Kansas National Guard, is the component of the United States National Guard in the U.S. state of Kansas. It comprises both the Kansas Army National Guard and the Kansas Air National Guard. The Governor of Kansas is Commander-in-Chief of the Ka ...

. * First Native American woman pilot: Bessie Coleman ( Cherokee heritage). 1922 Alice_davis_brown

* First Native American student to take part in a world conference:

Ruth Muskrat Bronson Ruth Muskrat Bronson (October 3, 1897 – June 12, 1982) was a Cherokee poet, educator and Indian rights activist. After completing her education, Bronson became the first Guidance and Placement Officer of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She serve ...

( Cherokee). * First woman to serve as chief of the Seminole tribe:

Alice Brown Davis Alice Brown Davis (September 10, 1852 – June 21, 1935) was the first female Principal Chief of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma, and served from 1922–1935, appointed by President Warren G. Harding.Waldowski, Paula"Alice Brown Davis: A Leader Of ...

( Seminole). 1923 * First chair of the Navajo Tribal Council:

Henry Chee Dodge Henry Chee Dodge (1860–1947), also known in Navajo by his nicknames ("Mister Interpreter") and ("Red Boy"), was the last official Head Chief of the Navajo Tribe from 1884 until 1910, the first Tribal Chairman of the Navajo Business Council fr ...

(

). 1924 * First Navajo person to earn a law degree: Thomas Henry Dodge (

). * First all-Native American

cavalry Historically, cavalry (from the French word ''cavalerie'', itself derived from "cheval" meaning "horse") are soldiers or warriors who fight mounted on horseback. Cavalry were the most mobile of the combat arms, operating as light cavalry ...

created in the United States: Troop C, 114th Cavalry. * First Native American to captain the United States Hockey Team: Clarence Able ( Chippewa). * First Native American woman elected to a state legislature: Cora Belle Reynolds Anderson ( Chippewa). * First Alaska Native elected to the Alaskan Territorial Legislature: William L. Paul ( Tlingit). * First Native American to carry the United States flag at the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games:

Clarence "Taffy" Abel Clarence John "Taffy" Abel (May 28, 1900 – August 1, 1964) was an American professional ice hockey player who played in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers and Chicago Black Hawks between 1926 and 1934. Born in 1900 in Sault S ...

( Chippewa). 1926 * First Native American in the NHL New York Rangers November 16, 1926:

( Chippewa). * First Native American woman to hold state office in Oklahoma: Jessie Elizabeth Randolph Moore ( Chickasaw). * First national reform group with only Native American membership: National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) by Zitkala-Sa (

Yankton Dakota The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided in ...

) and Raymond Bonnin (

Zitkala_Sa_Sioux_Indian_and_activist_1898

1927 * First Native American to earn a degree as a registered nurse:

Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail Susie Walking Bear Yellowtail (1903–1981) (Crow- Sioux) was the first Crow and one of the first Native Americans to graduate as a registered nurse in the United States. Working for the Indian Health Service, she brought modern health care to h ...

( Crow). 1929 * First Native American to serve as Vice President of the United States: Charles Curtis (Kaw/Osage/Potawatomi).

1930s

1930 * First accredited nursing program for Native Americans: Sage Memorial Hospital School of Nursing. * First enrolled Native American woman to earn a pilot's license:

Mary Riddle Mary Riddle, also known as Kus-de-cha or Kingfisher, (April 22, 1902 – October 25, 1981) was the second Native American woman to earn a pilot's license, with Bessie Coleman being the first. Soon after earning her pilot's license she also earned ...

( Clatsop/

Quinault Quinault may refer to: * Quinault people, an Indigenous people of the Pacific Northwest Coast **Quinault Indian Nation, a federally recognized tribe **Quinault language, their language People * Quinault family of actors, including * Jean-Baptis ...

). 1932 * First Native American woman elected to the Montana State Legislature: Dolly Smith Akers ( Assiniboine). * First Native American to open the Olympic Games: Charles Curtis (Kaw/Osage/Potawatomi). 1935 * First Native American woman elected as president of the General Federation of Women's Clubs:

Roberta Campbell Lawson Roberta Lawson (née Campbell, October 31, 1878, Alluwe, Oklahoma, Alluwe, Indian Territory – December 31, 1940, Tulsa, Oklahoma) was a Lenape-Ulster Scots people, Scots-Irish activist, community organizer, and musician. During World War I, she w ...

(

). 1939 * First Native American to win national and international level boxing championships: Chester L. Ellis ( Seneca).

1940s

1941 * First Native American commissioned in the American Chaplain Corps: James C. Ottipoby (

Comanche The Comanche or Nʉmʉnʉʉ ( com, Nʉmʉnʉʉ, "the people") are a Native American tribe from the Southern Plains of the present-day United States. Comanche people today belong to the federally recognized Comanche Nation, headquartered in La ...

). * First Native American

Miss America Miss America is an annual competition that is open to women from the United States between the ages of 17 and 25. Originating in 1921 as a "bathing beauty revue", the contest is now judged on competitors' talent performances and interviews. As ...

contestant: Mifauny Shunatona, Miss Oklahoma 1942 Dance_Magazine_July_1961_cover

* First Native American to become a major general in the U.S. Air Force: Clarence L. Tinker (

). * First American to dance with the

Paris Opera The Paris Opera (, ) is the primary opera and ballet company of France. It was founded in 1669 by Louis XIV as the , and shortly thereafter was placed under the leadership of Jean-Baptiste Lully and officially renamed the , but continued to be ...

and receive the title of prima ballerina: Maria Tallchief (

). * First Native American woman to work for Lockheed, and probably first Native American woman aeronautical engineer:

Mary Golda Ross Mary Golda Ross (August 9, 1908 – April 29, 2008) was the first known Native American female engineer, and the first female engineer in the history of Lockheed. She was one of the 40 founding engineers of the renowned and highly secretive Sku ...

(

). * First Native American commissioned pilot in the United States Navy: Tom Oxendine ( Lumbee). 1943 * First Navajo language newspaper: '' Adahooniligii''. * First Native American venerated as a

saint In religious belief, a saint is a person who is recognized as having an exceptional degree of Q-D-Š, holiness, likeness, or closeness to God. However, the use of the term ''saint'' depends on the context and Christian denomination, denominat ...

by the Roman Catholic church:

Kateri Tekakwitha Kateri Tekakwitha ( in Mohawk), given the name Tekakwitha, baptized as Catherine and informally known as Lily of the Mohawks (1656 – April 17, 1680), is a Catholic saint and virgin who was an Algonquin–Mohawk. Born in the Mohawk village of O ...

( Mohawk). * First Native American woman joins the Marine Corps Women's Reserve:

Minnie Spotted-Wolf Minnie Spotted-Wolf (1923–1988) was the first Native American woman to enlist in the United States Marine Corps. Biography Minnie Spotted-Wolf enlisted in the Marine Corps Women's Reserve in July 1943. Spotted-Wolf, from Heart Butte, M ...

(

Blackfoot The Blackfoot Confederacy, ''Niitsitapi'' or ''Siksikaitsitapi'' (ᖹᐟᒧᐧᒣᑯ, meaning "the people" or " Blackfoot-speaking real people"), is a historic collective name for linguistically related groups that make up the Blackfoot or Bla ...

). 1944 * First Muscogee person to earn the Medal of Honor:

Ernest Childers Ernest Childers (February 1, 1918 – March 17, 2005) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration, the Medal of Honor, for his valorous actions in World War II. Biography Childers was bor ...

(Muscogee (Creek) Nation). * First person of

descent to earn the Medal of Honor:

Van T. Barfoot Van Thomas Barfoot (born Van Thurman Barfoot; June 15, 1919 – March 2, 2012) was a United States Army officer and a recipient of the United States military's highest decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in World War II. Earl ...

(Mississippi Choctaw descent). * First and only Native American WASP: Ola Mildred Rexroat (

Oglala Lakota The Oglala (pronounced , meaning "to scatter one's own" in Lakota language) are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people who, along with the Dakota people, Dakota, make up the Sioux, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Seven Council Fires). A majority ...

). 1945 * First Cherokee to earn the Medal of Honor: Jack Montgomery (Cherokee Nation). *First anti-discrimination law passed in the United States: The

Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945 The Alaska Equal Rights Act of 1945 (also known as the Anti-Discrimination Law of 1945 Alaska Statutes 44.12.065) was the first state or territorial anti-discrimination law enacted in the United States in the 20th century. The law, signed on Februar ...

, ending segregation of

. 1946 * First female elected Tribal Chair in the United States:

Josephine Gates Kelly Josephine Gates Kelly (January 24, 1888 – October 23, 1976) was a Native American civil rights, Native American activist. In 1946, she became the first female chair of a Tribal council (United States), tribal council in United States history ...

( Standing Rock Sioux) 1949 * First

to earn the Indian Achievement Award from the Indian Council Fire:

Fred Kabotie Fred Kabotie (c. 1900–1986) was a celebrated Hopi painter, silversmith, illustrator, potter, author, curator and educator. His native name in the Hopi language is Naqavoy'ma which translates to Day After Day. Background and education Fred Ka ...

1950s

1950 * First Native American veterinarian: Bernard Anthony Hoehner ( Standing Rock Sioux). 1952 * First Hawaiian to be awarded the Medal of Honor: Herbert Kaili Pililaau ( Native Hawaiian). * First US Hall of Fame for Native Americans founded,

National Hall of Fame for Famous American Indians The National Hall of Fame for Famous American Indians (also known as American Indian Hall of Fame), established in 1952 in Anadarko, Oklahoma, is part of a complex representing American Indian life. The National Hall of Fame has bronze busts moun ...

, Anadarko, Oklahoma 1953 * First Indian Miss America: Arlene Wesley James ( Yakama). 1956 * First Native American to earn Western

dentist A dentist, also known as a dental surgeon, is a health care professional who specializes in dentistry (the diagnosis, prevention, management, and treatment of diseases and conditions of the mouth, oral cavity and other aspects of the craniofaci ...

ry degree:

George Blue Spruce George may refer to: People * George (given name) * George (surname) * George (singer), American-Canadian singer George Nozuka, known by the mononym George * George Washington, First President of the United States * George W. Bush, 43rd Presiden ...

(

Laguna Laguna (Italian and Spanish for lagoon) may refer to: People * Abe Laguna (born 1992), American DJ known as Ookay * Andrés Laguna (1499–1559), Spanish physician, pharmacologist, and botanist * Ana Laguna (born 1955), Spanish-Swedish ballet d ...

). * First Native American oncologist: James W. Hampton ( Chickasaw/

). 1957 * First Native American elected to the Idaho State Legislature: Joseph R. Garry ( Coeur d'Alene). * First radio station to primarily broadcast in Navajo language: KNDN-AM. 1958 * First Native American to graduate from the United States Air Force Academy: Leo Johnson (unknown tribal affiliation). 1959 * First woman president of the Mescalero Apache Tribe: Virginia S. Klinekole ( Mescalero Apache).

1960s

* First Native American pharmacist:

Francis Quam Francis may refer to: People * Pope Francis, the head of the Catholic Church and sovereign of the Vatican City State and Bishop of Rome *Francis (given name), including a list of people and fictional characters * Francis (surname) Places *Rural ...

( Zuni). 1960 * First Native American to own an FTD floral shop: Nunny Waano-Gano ( Karuk). 1961 * First Native American elected to the U.S. Congress from South Dakota: Benjamin Reifel ( Lakota). 1962 * First Alaska Native newspaper: The ''

Tundra Times ''The Tundra Times'' was a bi-weekly newspaper published in Fairbanks, Alaska from 1962 to 1997. Background The first edition of "The Eskimo-Indian All-Alaska Newspaper" was published on 1 October 1962, and was written by and for Alaska Natives a ...

'' with

Howard Rock Howard Rock or Uyaġak (previously written as Weiyahok) (August 10, 1911 – April 20, 1976) was an Iñupiaq newspaper editor, activist, and artist. He was well known for his artwork and for founding the first ever Alaska Native newspaper. Ea ...

( Inupiaq) as the first editor. 1963 * First Native American to receive the Presidential Medal of Freedom:

Annie Dodge Wauneka Annie Dodge Wauneka (April 11, 1910 – November 10, 1997) was an influential member of the Navajo Nation as member of the Navajo Nation Council. As a member and three term head of the council's Health and Welfare Committee, she worked to improve ...

(

). 1964 * First Native American elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives:

James D. Atcitty James is a common English language surname and given name: * James (name), the typically masculine first name James * James (surname), various people with the last name James James or James City may also refer to: People * King James (disambigua ...

(

). * First Native American on the United States Olympic Judo Team: Benjamin Nighthorse Campbell ( Northern Cheyenne). * First Native American to win an Olympic gold medal in the 10,000 meter run: William Mervin "Billy" Mills (

). * First Native American to earn a doctorate in psychology: Marigold Linton, from UCLA ( Morongo Band of Mission Indians) 1966 * First Native American elected as New Mexico state senator: Tom Lee (

). * First Native American elected to the

Arizona House of Representatives The Arizona State House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. The upper house is the Senate. The House convenes in the legislative chambers at the Arizona State C ...

: Lloyd Lynn House (

Oneida Oneida may refer to: Native American/First Nations * Oneida people, a Native American/First Nations people and one of the five founding nations of the Iroquois Confederacy * Oneida language * Oneida Indian Nation, based in New York * Oneida Na ...

). * First Native American man to earn a doctorate in psychology: Arthur McDonald (

). 1967 * First ballet written specifically for Native American dancers: ''

Four Moons ''Four Moons'' ( es, Cuatro lunas) is a 2014 Mexican drama directed by Sergio Tovar Velarde. It stars Antonio Velázquez, Alejandro de la Madrid, César Ramos, Gustavo Egelhaaf, Alonso Echánove, Alejandro Belmonte, Karina Gidi and Juan Manuel Bern ...

'' which was scored by Louis Ballard ( Quapaw/ Cherokee). * First woman to chair the Seminole Tribe Council:

Betty Mae Tiger Jumper Betty Mae Tiger Jumper, also known as ''Potackee'' (April 27, 1923 – January 14, 2011) (Seminole) was the first and so far the only female chief of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. A nurse, she co-founded the tribe's first newspaper in 1956, the ...

( Seminole Tribe of Florida). 1969 * First Native American to receive a

Pulitzer Prize The Pulitzer Prize () is an award for achievements in newspaper, magazine, online journalism, literature, and musical composition within the United States. It was established in 1917 by provisions in the will of Joseph Pulitzer, who had made h ...

N. Scott Momaday Navarre Scott Momaday (born February 27, 1934) is a Kiowa novelist, short story writer, essayist, and poet. His novel ''House Made of Dawn'' was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for Fiction in 1969, and is considered the first major work of the Native ...

( Kiowa). * First Native American to become a public school district superintendent: Henry Gatewood (

). * First Native American to work as Indian Commissioner on the Indian Claims Commission: Brantley Blue ( Lumbee).

1970s

1970 * First broadcast license given to a Native American tribe (

): WYRU-AM. 1971 * First Native American job corps center founded: The Kicking Horse Regional Manpower Center. * First Native American elected to the North Dakota state legislature: Arthur Raymond (

Dakota Sioux The Dakota (pronounced , Dakota language: ''Dakȟóta/Dakhóta'') are a Native American tribe and First Nations band government in North America. They compose two of the three main subcultures of the Sioux people, and are typically divided into ...

Oglala The Oglala (pronounced , meaning "to scatter one's own" in Lakota language) are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people who, along with the Dakota, make up the Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Seven Council Fires). A majority of the Oglala live o ...

). * First Navajo to earn a doctorate in physics: Fred Begay (

). 1972

* First Native American owned and operated non-commercial radio station for Native American listeners: KTDB-FM. * First Native American on the United States Women's Table Tennis National Team:

Angelita Rosal Angelita Rosal, also known as Angie Rosal Bengtsson, (born 1951) is a former American professional table tennis player and coach. Born of a Dakota mother of the Spirit Lake Tribe and a Filipino father, Rosal is inducted both in the Indian Athleti ...

(

Sioux The Sioux or Oceti Sakowin (; Dakota language, Dakota: Help:IPA, /otʃʰeːtʰi ʃakoːwĩ/) are groups of Native Americans in the United States, Native American tribes and First Nations in Canada, First Nations peoples in North America. The ...

). * First non-Japanese

sumo wrestler A , or, more colloquially, , is a professional sumo wrestler. follow and live by the centuries-old rules of the sumo profession, with most coming from Japan, the only country where sumo is practiced professionally. Participation in official ...

to win the top division championship: Takamiyama Daigorō ( Native Hawaiian). * First induction ceremony of the

American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame Haskell Indian Nations University is a public tribal land-grant university in Lawrence, Kansas, United States. Founded in 1884 as a residential boarding school for Native American children, the school has developed into a university operated b ...

. 1974 * First Alaska Native to win the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race:

Carl Huntington Carl Huntington (December 4, 1947 – October 13, 2000) was an Athabaskan-American dog musher who is best known for winning the 1974 Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race as a rookie, with a time of 20 days, 15 hours, 1 minute, 7 seconds. In addition to ...

( Athabascan). * First Native American band to reach the top five on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100: Redbone with "

Come and Get Your Love "Come and Get Your Love" is a song by American rock band Redbone. The song was originally released as a promo track under the name "Hail" and was later featured on their fifth album, ''Wovoka'' (1973), under its current name. The song was rel ...

" at number 5. 1975 * First artist chosen by the Museum of the American Indian for a series on modern Native American art:

R. C. Gorman Rudolph Carl Gorman (July 26, 1931 – November 3, 2005) was a Native American artist of the Navajo Nation. Referred to as "the Picasso of American Indian artists" by ''The New York Times'', his paintings are primarily of Native American wo ...

(

). * First Native American practitioner of an Indigenous religion to give the invocation at the United States Senate: Frank Fools Crow ( Lakota). * First Native American woman dentist:

Jessica Rickert Jessica Ann Rickert became the first female American Indian dentist in America upon graduating with a DDS from the University of Michigan School of Dentistry in 1975. She was one of only six women in a class of 140 students. She is a member of t ...

(

Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation ( pot, Mshkodéniwek, formerly the Prairie Band of Potawatomi Indians) is a federally recognized tribe of Neshnabé (Potawatomi people), headquartered near Mayetta, Kansas. History The ''Mshkodésik'' ("People of t ...

). * First woman to chair the Yavapai-Apache Tribe:

Vera Brown Starr Vera Brown Starr (May 23, 1924 – March 4, 1985) was the first woman elected as chair of the Yavapai-Apache Nation and served two years in the office, as well as serving over fifteen years on the council. She was one of the delegates to the 197 ...

( Yavapai-Apache). * First tribally owned and built golf course is opened by the Mescalero Apache Tribe. 1976 * First American Indian Studies master's degree program established by

Charlotte Anne Wilson Heth Charlotte ( ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of North Carolina. Located in the Piedmont region, it is the county seat of Mecklenburg County. The population was 874,579 at the 2020 census, making Charlotte the 16th-most popu ...

( Cherokee). * First

Jicarilla Apache Jicarilla Apache (, Jicarilla language: Jicarilla Dindéi), one of several loosely organized autonomous bands of the Eastern Apache, refers to the members of the Jicarilla Apache Nation currently living in New Mexico and speaking a Southern Athab ...

woman to earn a doctorate degree: Veronica Velarde Tiller. * First radio station broadcasting in the Navajo language and under Navajo control: The Navajo Radio Network. * First chairperson of the

Fort Sill Apache Tribe The Fort Sill Apache Tribe is the federally recognized Native American tribe of Chiricahua Warm Springs Apache in Oklahoma. Government The Fort Sill Apache Tribe is headquartered in Apache, Oklahoma. Tribal member enrollment, which requires a mi ...

Mildred Cleghorn Mildred Imoch Cleghorn (December 11, 1910 – April 15, 1997) was first chairperson of the Fort Sill Apache Tribe. Her Apache names were ''Eh-Ohn'' and ''Lay-a-Bet'', and she was one of the last Chiricahua Apaches born under "prisoner of war" sta ...

( Fort Sill Apache). * First Alaska Native to become a physician:

Ted Mala TED may refer to: Economics and finance * TED spread between U.S. Treasuries and Eurodollar Education * ''Türk Eğitim Derneği'', the Turkish Education Association ** TED Ankara College Foundation Schools, Turkey ** Transvaal Education Depart ...

( Inupiaq). 1977 * First Inuit Circumpoloar Conference takes place. 1978 * First Native American artist to display their work in China: Joan Hill ( Muscogee). * First woman to serve as chair of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes:

Juanita L. Learned Juanita L. Learned (September 6, 1930 – August 26, 1996) was the first woman to chair the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes. She was Arapaho, Southern Arapaho and was known for her work to keep the Concho Indian School from closing, as well as acti ...

( Cheyenne-Arapaho). * First person of Native American descent to earn a fellowship from the National Institute of Mental Health and the American Psychiatric Association: Catharine Gail Kincaid (Eastern Dakota descent).

1980s

1980 * First Native American woman nominated for Vice President of the United States in any political party:

LaDonna Harris LaDonna Vita Tabbytite Harris (born February 26, 1931) is a Comanche Native American social activist and politician from Oklahoma.Fluharty, SterlingHarris, LaDonna Vita Tabbytite profile 'mOklahoma Historical Society Encyclopedia of Oklahoma His ...

(

). * First Native American woman to head the Southwestern Association for Indian Arts (SWAIA):

Ramona Sakiestewa Ramona Sakiestewa (born 1948) is a contemporary Hopi Native American artist who lives and works in Santa Fe, New Mexico. Sakiestewa is renowned for her tapestries, works on paper, public art, and architectural installations. Early life and educa ...

(

) 1981 * First Native American woman to graduate from the United States Naval Academy:

Sandra L. Hinds Sandra or SANDRA may refer to: People * Sandra (given name) * Sandra (singer) (born 1962), German pop singer * Margaretha Sandra (1629–1674), Dutch soldier * Sandra (orangutan), who won the legal right to be defined as a "non-human person" Pl ...

(unknown tribal affiliation). * First American to direct the Paris Opera ballet: Rosella Hightower ( Choctaw Nation). 1982 * First Native American elected to the Colorado House of Representatives: Benjamin Nighthorse Campbell ( Northern Cheyenne). * First Native American woman to graduate from the United States Air Force Academy:

Dolores K. Smith Dolores, Spanish for "pain; grief", most commonly refers to: * Our Lady of Sorrows or La Virgen María de los Dolores * Dolores (given name) Dolores may also refer to: Film * ''Dolores'' (2017 film), an American documentary by Peter Bratt * ...

( Cherokee). * First Native American director of Indian Health Services (IHS): Everett R. Rhoades ( Kiowa). * First tribe to open an electric plant: Warm Spring Indians in Oregon. 1983 * First woman to work as

attorney general In most common law jurisdictions, the attorney general or attorney-general (sometimes abbreviated AG or Atty.-Gen) is the main legal advisor to the government. The plural is attorneys general. In some jurisdictions, attorneys general also have exec ...

for the Navajo Nation: Claudeen Bates Arthur (

). * First Native American woman to argue a successful case before the

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all U.S. federal court cases, and over state court cases that involve a point o ...

Arlinda Locklear Arlinda Locklear (born 1951) is an American lawyer of Native American origin from the Lumbee tribe. Locklear, who is often cited as the first Native American woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, has actually followed in the footst ...

( Lumbee). * First anthology of Native American women's art and literature is published: ''A Gathering of Spirit: A Collection by North American Women'' edited by

Beth Brant Beth E. Brant, Degonwadonti, or Kaieneke'hak was a Mohawk writer, essayist, and poet of the Mohawks of the Bay of Quinte First Nation from the Tyendinaga Mohawk Territory in Ontario, Canada. She was also a lecturer, editor, and speaker. She wrote ...

( Mohawk). * First television documentary produced by a crew of all-Indigenous people: ''I'd Rather Be Powwowing'', directed by Larry Littlebird (

Kewa Pueblo Kewa Pueblo ( Eastern Keres , Keres: ''Díiwʾi'', Navajo: ''Tó Hájiiloh'') is a federally-recognized tribe of Native American Pueblo people in northern New Mexico, in Sandoval County southwest of Santa Fe. The pueblo is recorded as the Santo ...

). * First Minnesota Ojibwe Nation woman to become a Western medical doctor: Kathleen Annette (

). 1984 * First Alaska Native woman to earn a doctorate degree: Elizabeth Anne Parent ( Athabascan). * First Native American woman to graduate from West Point: Brigitte T. Wahwassuck (unknown tribal affiliation). 1985 * First woman to become a Cherokee Nation principal chief: Wilma Mankiller (

). * First Native American to receive the Anisfield-Wolf Book Award for race relations: Clifford Bahniptewa (

). 1986 * First Native American ordained as Roman Catholic bishop: Donald E. Pelotte ( Abenaki). * First public recognition of the military service of the Choctaw code talkers. * First American Indian Week celebrated during the week of November 23–30. 1987 * First Native American to become a fellow of the MacArthur Foundation: Leslie Marmon Silko ( Laguna Pueblo descent). * First Native American woman named as '' Ms.'' magazine's Woman of the Year: Wilma Mankiller (

). * First community-owned and operated clinic established on an Indian reservation: Porcupine Clinic by Loralei DeCora (

Winnebago Winnebago can refer to: * The exonym of the Ho-Chunk tribe of Native North Americans with reservations in Nebraska, Iowa, and Wisconsin ** Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska, a federally recognized tribe group in the state ** The Winnebago language of the ...

). * First woman to elected as governor of the

Isleta Pueblo Pueblo of Isleta ( tix, Shiewhibak , kjq, Dîiw'a'ane ; nv, Naatoohó ) is an unincorporated community and Tanoan pueblo in Bernalillo County, New Mexico, United States, originally established in the . The Southern Tiwa name of the pueblo ...

: Verna Williamson (Isleta Pueblo). * First woman in the Eastern Band of Cherokee to become a Western physician: Frances Owl-Smith ( Cherokee). 1988 * First woman elected as tribal chair of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa: Twila Martin-Kehahbah ( Chippewa-

Cree The Cree ( cr, néhinaw, script=Latn, , etc.; french: link=no, Cri) are a Indigenous peoples of the Americas, North American Indigenous people. They live primarily in Canada, where they form one of the country's largest First Nations in Canada ...

). * First Tuscarora Indian woman to become a Western surgeon: Susan Veronica Karol ( Tuscarora Indian Nation of Sanborn). 1989 * First book of poetry in

is published by Rex Lee Jim (

). * First Native American news reporter on national television:

Hattie Kauffman Hattie Kauffman is an American journalist. A member of the Nez Perce people, she was the first Native American to file a report on a national news broadcast. Early life She spent the first three years of her life on the Nez Perce Reservation in ...

( Nez Percé). * First Native American in Nevada to become a Western physician:

Sharon M. Malotte Sharon ( he, שָׁרוֹן ''Šārôn'' "plain") is a given name as well as an Israeli surname. In English-speaking areas, Sharon is now predominantly a feminine given name. However, historically it was also used as a masculine given name. In ...

(

Shoshone The Shoshone or Shoshoni ( or ) are a Native American tribe with four large cultural/linguistic divisions: * Eastern Shoshone: Wyoming * Northern Shoshone: southern Idaho * Western Shoshone: Nevada, northern Utah * Goshute: western Utah, easter ...

1990s

1990 * First Native American to win in a World Chess Championship open:

Jason Stevens Jason Anthony Stevens (born 8 January 1973) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. He is also a writer, screenwriter and actor. An Australia national rugby league team, Australia nationa ...

(

). * First Native American Month celebrated in November. 1991 * First Native American to receive the Freeman Tilden Award from the National Park Service and the National Parks and Conservation Association: Wilson Hunter (

). * First Native American state attorney general:

Larry Echo Hawk Larry J. Echo Hawk (born August 2, 1948) is an American attorney, legal scholar, and politician. A member of the Democratic Party, Echo Hawk served under U.S. President Barack Obama as the United States Assistant Secretary of the Interior for In ...

( Pawnee). 1993 * First play-by-play of an

NBA The National Basketball Association (NBA) is a professional basketball league in North America. The league is composed of 30 teams (29 in the United States and 1 in Canada) and is one of the major professional sports leagues in the United St ...

game in a Native language is broadcast in

. 1994 * First Native American to work as

U.S. Marshall The United States Marshals Service (USMS) is a federal law enforcement agency in the United States. The USMS is a bureau within the U.S. Department of Justice, operating under the direction of the Attorney General, but serves as the enforceme ...

in the Justice Department: Robert D. Ecoffey ( Oglala Lakota Sioux). * First Navajo woman board certified in surgery: Lori Arviso Alvord (

). 1995 * First Native American artwork travels in space: Don Montileaux's ( Lakota) painting is on board the '' Endeavor''. * First woman to serve as principal chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians:

Joyce Dugan Joyce Dugan (born c.1952, Cherokee people, Cherokee) is an American educator, school administrator, and politician; she served as the 24th Principal Chief of the federally recognized Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians (1995-1999), based in Western No ...

( Cherokee). * First Native American woman to play professional basketball for a foreign nation:

Ryneldi Becenti Ryneldi Becenti (born August 11, 1971) is a retired American professional basketball player. She became the first Native American to play in the WNBA when she played for the Phoenix Mercury in 1997. High school Becenti attended Window Rock Hig ...

(

). 1996 * First Native American woman elected to the New Mexico House of Representatives:

Lynda Morgan Lovejoy Lynda is a spelling variation of the feminine given name Linda. Notable people with the name include: People Arts and entertainment * Lynda Adams, later Hunt (1920–1997), Canadian diver * Lynda Baron (1939–2022), British television actress * ...

(

). * First Native American participant in the

Paralympics The Paralympic Games or Paralympics, also known as the ''Games of the Paralympiad'', is a periodic series of international multisport events involving athletes with a range of physical disabilities, including impaired muscle power and impaired ...

: Cheri Madsen (

). 1997 * First Native American women elected to the Arizona House of Representatives:

Sally Ann Gonzales Sally Ann Gonzales (born October 2, 1957) is an American politician and a Democratic member of the Arizona State Senate representing District 20 since January 9, 2023. She previously represented District 3 from 2019 to 2023, and also served in t ...

( Yaqui) and

Debora Norris Debora Norris (born September 23, 1950) is a former member of the Arizona House of Representatives The Arizona State House of Representatives is the lower house of the Arizona Legislature, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Arizona. ...

(

). * First Native American to be awarded the Award for Excellence from the American Public Health Association:

Linda Burhansstipanov Linda Burhansstipanov is an American public health educator and researcher. She is a member of the Cherokee Nation of Oklahoma and specializes on cancer care and support in Native American communities. A leader in Native American cancer resear ...

( Cherokee). * First Native American Roman Catholic

archbishop In Christian denominations, an archbishop is a bishop of higher rank or office. In most cases, such as the Catholic Church, there are many archbishops who either have jurisdiction over an ecclesiastical province in addition to their own archdi ...

Charles J. Chaput Charles Joseph Chaput ( ; born September 26, 1944) is an American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the ninth archbishop of the Archdiocese of Philadelphia in Pennsylvania, serving from 2011 until 2020. He previously served as archb ...

( Prairie Band Potawatomi) 1998 * First national awards for Native American music:

Native American Music Awards The Native American Music Awards (also known as the NAMAs or "Nammys") are an awards program presented annually by Elbel Productions, Inc., The Native American Music Awards Inc., and The Native American Music Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profi ...

(NAMA). * First literary and artistic journal for Native Hawaiians: '' 'Ōiwi: A Native Hawaiian Journal'' founded by D. Mahealani Dudoit ( Native Hawaiian). 1999 * First Navajo to earn a doctorate in history:

Jennifer Denetdale Jennifer or Jenifer may refer to: People * Jennifer (given name) * Jenifer (singer), French pop singer * Jennifer Warnes, American singer who formerly used the stage name Jennifer * Daniel of St. Thomas Jenifer * Daniel Jenifer Film and telev ...

(

21st century

2000s

2000 * First Native American president of the American Public Health Association: Michael E. Bird (

/ Ohkay Owingeh). * First Native American woman to graduate from Yale University School of Medicine: Patricia Nez Henderson (

). 2001 * First Native Hawaiian drafted by

Major League Soccer Major League Soccer (MLS) is a men's professional soccer league sanctioned by the United States Soccer Federation, which represents the sport's highest level in the United States. The league comprises 29 teams—26 in the U.S. and 3 in Canada ...

: Brian Ching ( Native Hawaiian). * First Native American to compete in the Indy 500:

Cory Witherill Cory Witherill (born December 17, 1971) is a Native American Navajo people, Navajo race car driver from Los Angeles in the Indy Racing League, Infiniti Pro Series, Indy Lights, and Auto Racing Club of America, ARCA series. He made an incredible bu ...

(

). 2002 * First Native American in space: John Herrington ( Chickasaw Nation). * First Native American woman to compete in the Winter Olympics: Naomi Lang ( Karuk). 2003 * First tribe to own a professional sports team: The Mohegan Tribe purchases the Connecticut Sun. * First Native American woman killed in combat fighting for the United States in war in Asia: Lori Piestewa (

). 2004 * First woman to serve as president of the tribal council for the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation: Cecelia Fire Thunder (

). * First woman tribal chair of the

: Erma Vizenor ( Ojibwe). * First Native American museum established on the National Mall: National Museum of the American Indian. 2005 * First tribe to purchase a professional men's basketball team: The

Yakima Nation The Yakama Indian Reservation (spelled Yakima until 1994) is a Native American reservation in Washington state of the federally recognized tribe known as the Confederated Tribes and Bands of the Yakama Nation. The tribe is made up of Klikitat ...

buys the

Yakima SunKings The Yakima SunKings are a basketball team located in Yakima, Washington, covering the central Washington sports market of Yakima, Tri-Cities, and Ellensburg and plays at the Yakima SunDome. The team competed in the Continental Basketball Associa ...

. 2006 * First woman to serve as chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma:

Glenna Wallace Glenna J. Wallace (born 1960) is an educator and politician who has served as Chief of the Eastern Shawnee Tribe of Oklahoma since 2006. Wallace is the first woman to serve as Chief of the Eastern Shawnee. Early life Wallace was born in Ottawa ...

( Shawnee). * First awards announced in the

American Indian Youth Literature Awards The ''American Indian Library Association American(s) may refer to: * American, something of, from, or related to the United States of America, commonly known as the "United States" or "America" ** Americans, citizens and nationals of the United ...

. 2007 * First Native American president of the American Library Association:

Loriene Roy Loriene Roy is an American scholar of Indigenous librarianship, professor and librarian from Texas. She was the first Native American president of the American Library Association when she was inaugurated in 2007. Biography Background and educa ...

Loriene Roy web page
University of Texas. 19 March 2010. (

).LibGig
, Amelia Abreu, interviewer. 19 March 2010. 2008 * First Native American woman elected to a statewide executive office: Denise Juneau ( Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara Nation). * First Native American to win the

Heisman Trophy The Heisman Memorial Trophy (usually known colloquially as the Heisman Trophy or The Heisman) is awarded annually to the most outstanding player in college football. Winners epitomize great ability combined with diligence, perseverance, and hard ...

Sam Bradford Samuel Jacob Bradford (born November 8, 1987) is a former American football quarterback who played in the National Football League (NFL) for nine seasons, most notably with the St. Louis Rams and Minnesota Vikings. He was also a member of the P ...

(

2010s

2010 * First woman to become a chief of the

Delaware Tribe of Indians The Delaware Tribe of Indians, formerly known as the Cherokee Delaware or the Eastern Delaware, based in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, is one of three federally recognized tribes of the Lenape people in the United States, the others being with the Dela ...

: Paula Pechonick ( Delaware). * First Native American nominated for the

United States Poet Laureate The Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetry to the Library of Congress—commonly referred to as the United States Poet Laureate—serves as the official poet of the United States. During their term, the poet laureate seeks to raise the national cons ...

: Linda Hogan ( Chickasaw). 2011 * First Native American drafted into the WNBA:

Tahnee Robinson Tahnee Robinson (born February 2, 1988) is an American former professional basketball player now actively coaching in the NCAA Division I. She is the first enrolled Native American woman to be drafted into the WNBA being a member of the Norther ...

( Northern Cheyenne). * First woman chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians:

Phyliss J. Anderson Phyliss J. Anderson is the first female elected Chief of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. She succeeded the incumbent Miko, Beasley Denson after the election committee concluded ballot count on July 6, 2011. Anderson polled 1,971 votes to ...

(

). 2014 * First Native American named a

United States Ambassador to the United Nations The United States ambassador to the United Nations is the leader of the U.S. delegation, the U.S. Mission to the United Nations. The position is formally known as the permanent representative of the United States of America to the United Nations ...

: Keith Harper (

). * First Native American woman to become a

federal judge Federal judges are judges appointed by a federal level of government as opposed to the state/provincial/local level. United States A US federal judge is appointed by the US President and confirmed by the US Senate in accordance with Article 3 of ...

in the United States: Diane Humetewa (

). 2015 * First Native American-owned

cannabis shop A cannabis shop, cannabis dispensary, or cannabis cooperative, is a location at which cannabis is sold for recreational or medical use. In the Netherlands these are called coffeeshops. In the United States they exist as an outlet for both recr ...

: Elevation, opened by the

Squaxin Island Tribe The Squaxin Island Tribe are the descendants of several Lushootseed clans organized under the Squaxin Island Indian Reservation, a Native American tribal government in western Washington state. Historically, the ancestors of the Squaxin Island T ...

. 2016 * First Native American to receive an electoral vote for President of the United States: Faith Spotted Eagle ( Yankton Sioux Tribe) * First Native American woman to receive an electoral vote for Vice President of the United States: Winona LaDuke (

) 2017 * First Native-American to serve in the

Wyoming State Senate The Wyoming Senate is the upper house of the Wyoming State Legislature. There are 30 Senators in the Senate, representing an equal number of constituencies across Wyoming, each with a population of at least 17,000. The Senate meets at the Wyomi ...

Affie Ellis Affie Ellis (''née'' Burnside; born 1979/1980) is an American politician who serves in the Wyoming Senate from the 8th district as a member of the Republican Party. She is a member of the Navajo Nation and is the first Native American to serv ...

(

). 2018 * First Native American women elected to the United States Congress:

Sharice Davids Sharice Lynnette Davids (; born May 22, 1980) is an American attorney, former mixed martial artist, and politician serving as the U.S. representative from since 2019. A member of the Democratic Party, she represents a district that includes mos ...

(

) and Deb Haaland ( Laguna Pueblo). * First Native American to serve as a

law clerk A law clerk or a judicial clerk is a person, generally someone who provides direct counsel and assistance to a lawyer or judge by researching issues and drafting legal opinions for cases before the court. Judicial clerks often play significant ...

for the

: Tobi Merrit Edwards Young ( Chickasaw Nation). 2019 Barack_Obama_and_Kimberly_Teehee,_2012-04-27_(cropped)

* First Native American to earn an honorary award from the Academy Awards:

Wes Studi Wesley Studi ( chr, ᏪᏌ ᏍᏚᏗ; born December 17, 1947) is a Native American (Cherokee Nation) actor and film producer. He has garnered critical acclaim and awards throughout his career, particularly for his portrayal of Native Americans ...

(

). * First Native American

Joy Harjo Joy Harjo ( ; born May 9, 1951) is an American poet, musician, playwright, and author. She served as the 23rd United States Poet Laureate, the first Native American to hold that honor. She was also only the second Poet Laureate Consultant in Poetr ...

(

Mvskoke The Muscogee, also known as the Mvskoke, Muscogee Creek, and the Muscogee Creek Confederacy ( in the Muscogee language), are a group of related indigenous (Native American) peoples of the Southeastern WoodlandsCherokee). * First delegate to the United States House of Representatives from the Cherokee Nation:

Kimberly Teehee Kimberly Teehee (born October 13, 1968) is a Native American ( Cherokee Nation) attorney, politician, and activist on Native American issues. She is a Delegate-designate to the U.S. House of Representatives from the Cherokee Nation. She served ...

(

). * First American nationally distributed children's show to feature an Alaska Native as the lead character: '' Molly of Denali'', premiered in 2019.

2020s

2020 * First painting on canvas by a Native American artist in the

National Gallery of Art The National Gallery of Art, and its attached Sculpture Garden, is a national art museum in Washington, D.C., United States, located on the National Mall, between 3rd and 9th Streets, at Constitution Avenue NW. Open to the public and free of char ...

: ''I See Red: Target'', by

Jaune Quick-to-See Smith Jaune Quick-to-See Smith (born 1940) is a Native American visual artist and curator. She is an enrolled member of the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes and is also of Métis and Shoshone descent. She is also an art educator, art advocate ...

( Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes). * First Native American to compete in the Tour de France:

Neilson Powless Neilson Powless (born September 3, 1996) is an American professional road racing cyclist who currently rides for UCI WorldTeam . Powless, who is Oneida, is the first US Native American to compete in the Tour de France. Career In August 2019, ...

(

). * First U.S. tribe to contribute

heirloom seeds An heirloom plant, heirloom variety, heritage fruit (Australia and New Zealand), or heirloom vegetable (especially in Ireland and the UK) is an old cultivar of a plant used for food that is grown and maintained by gardeners and farmers, particular ...

to the Svalbard Global Seed Vault: the

. * First Native American openly transgender person elected to office in America:

Stephanie Byers Stephanie Byers (born February 5, 1963) is an American politician and educator who serves in the Kansas House of Representatives from the 86th district. Her victory in the 2020 election made her the first openly transgender person to serve in t ...

, elected to the Kansas state House of Representatives ( Chickasaw Nation). *First

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Alaskan Natives, Native Alaskans, Indigenous Alaskans, Aboriginal Alaskans or First Alaskans) are the indigenous peoples of Alaska and include Iñupiat, Yupik, Aleut, Eyak, Tlingit, Haida, Tsimshian, and a numbe ...

to be featured on United States currency: Elizabeth Peratrovich ( Tlingit). *First Native American to play for the

National Women's Soccer League The National Women's Soccer League (NWSL) is a professional women's soccer league at the top of the United States league system. It is owned by the teams and, until 2020, was under a management contract with the United States Soccer Federatio ...

: Madison Hammond (

and San Felipe Pueblo). 2021 * First Native American to win a Caldecott Medal:

Michaela Goade Michaela Goade (born 1989 or 1990) is an American illustrator. A member of the Tlingit and Haida tribes, she is known for her work on picture books about Indigenous people. She won the 2021 Caldecott Medal for her illustrations in ''We Are Water ...

for '' We Are Water Protectors'' ( Tlingit and

Haida Haida may refer to: Places * Haida, an old name for Nový Bor * Haida Gwaii, meaning "Islands of the People", formerly called the Queen Charlotte Islands * Haida Islands, a different archipelago near Bella Bella, British Columbia Ships * , a 1 ...

tribes). * First Native American to serve as a US Cabinet secretary (

Secretary of the Interior Secretary of the Interior may refer to: * Secretary of the Interior (Mexico) * Interior Secretary of Pakistan * Secretary of the Interior and Local Government (Philippines) * United States Secretary of the Interior See also

*Interior ministry ...

): Deb Haaland ( Laguna Pueblo). 2022 * First Native American to win the Pulitzer Prize for Music:

Raven Chacon Raven Chacon (born 1977) is a Diné-American composer, musician and artist. Born in Fort Defiance, Arizona within the Navajo Nation, Chacon became the first Native American to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music, for his '' Voiceless Mass'' in 2022. ...

(

). * First Native American woman to win a medal at the World Athletics Championships: Janee' Kassanavoid (

). * First Native American Treasurer of the United States: Marilynn Malerba ( Mohegan). * First Native American woman in space: Nicole Aunapu Mann (of Wailacki heritage, an enrolled member of the

Round Valley Indian Tribes The Round Valley Indian Reservation is a federally recognized Indian reservation lying primarily in northern Mendocino County, California, United States. A small part of it extends northward into southern Trinity County. The total land area, inc ...

). * First Native American elected to the position of bishop in the United Methodist Church: David Wilson (

). 2023 * First Native American woman to go on a

spacewalk Extravehicular activity (EVA) is any activity done by an astronaut in outer space outside a spacecraft. In the absence of a breathable atmosphere of Earth, Earthlike atmosphere, the astronaut is completely reliant on a space suit for environmen ...

: Nicole Aunapu Mann (of Wailacki heritage, an enrolled member of the

References

Sources

* * *

External links

American Indian History Timeline
{{DEFAULTSORT:Native American firsts American culture Indigenous peoples in the United States Lists of firsts Native American history Native American topics Native American-related lists Social history of the United States