Activists / Wilma Mankiller Posters

Wilma Mankiller was born in Oklahoma but was moved with her family in a governmental relocation to California as a young girl. She worked in educational programs for the Pit River Tribe in California, and later moved back to her family's ancestral lands in Oklahoma.

In 1987, Wilma Mankiller was the first Cherokee woman to be elected Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the second largest tribe in the United States. Her autobiography describes her life and the experiences that led up to her election as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation.

Awards and Honors

American Indian Woman of the Year, 1986

Woman of the Year, Ms. Magazine, 1987

John W. Gardner Leadership Award, Independent Sector, 1988

Indian Health Service Award, U.S. Public Health Service, 1989

OSU Henry G. Bennett Distinguished Service Award, 1990

Member of the National Women's Hall of Fame