Women's History Month - Catching Up!

[vivien]

This woman was hardcore. Go read about her. There is too much to cut and paste. She was an activist without even being recognized as a citizen.

From http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zitkala-Sa:
Gertrude Simmons Bonnin (February 22, 1876 - January 26, 1938), better known by her pen name, Zitkala-Sa (Lakota: pronounced zitkála-ša, which translates to Red Bird), was a Native American writer, editor, musician, teacher and political activist. She published in national magazines. With William F. Hanson, Bonnin co-composed the first American Indian opera, The Sun Dance (composed in romantic style based on Ute and Sioux themes), which premiered in 1913. She founded the National Council of American Indians in 1926, which she served as president until her death.

From http://www.facstaff.bucknell.edu/gcarr/19cUSWW/ZS/rh.html:
Bonnin was equally bold in her political or didactic writing, entitling an essay "Why I Am a Pagan" during a time (1902) when it was popular for American Indians to humbly describe their conversions to Christianity. This essay posits a daring viewpoint, in spite of its sentimentality and self-consciously poetic language. Rather than satirizing a white preacher, she depicts a tragically duped kinsman... Here and elsewhere, she illustrates that the question of cultural and spiritual identity goes deeper than notions of civil rights.

Zitkala-Sa was a controversial activist, as illustrated by her political record. Her tireless advocacy of improved education, health care, resource conservation, and cultural preservation led President Hoover to appoint two Indian Rights Association representatives to the BIA. Kaw Indian Congressman Charles Curtis then introduced the Indian Citizenship Bill; after its passage in 1924, he became U.S. Vice President. Zitkala-Sa meanwhile canvassed away the fear of and skepticism toward the vote and tried to persuade her people to use their right of suffrage to vote in Roosevelt. In 1930, she formed the National Council of American Indians and served as president until her death in 1938. A relentless lobbyist, she secured the General Federation of Women's Clubs' support which, along with the Indian Rights Association and the Indian Welfare Committee, investigated government tribal treatment and abuse.

Here is another great site that gives more details on her writing and its effect: http://voices.cla.umn.edu/artistpages/bonnin.php


I will do a couple more posts to catch up.