Alex White Plume facts for kids

Alex White Plume was born in 1952. He is a respected leader and activist from the Oglala Sioux Tribe. This tribe lives on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, United States. Alex White Plume served as the vice president and later as the president of his tribe. He became president in June 2006 and served until November 2006.

He became well-known for growing industrial hemp on his farm. ..... Even though his tribe had laws allowing it, federal agents stopped him from growing it. This raised important questions about tribal sovereignty, which means a tribe's right to govern itself on its own land.

Early Life and Background

Alex White Plume grew up on the Pine Ridge Reservation. He learned a lot about the traditional Lakota culture. When he was older, he joined the U.S. Army. He was stationed in Berlin, Germany, until 1978.

After his time in the Army, he came back to Pine Ridge. He worked as an officer for the Tribal Police. Later, he became very interested in community issues and politics. In 1988, he married Debra White Plume.

Farming and Hemp

Alex White Plume has always been a farmer. However, farming on the reservation can be very difficult. The land and weather conditions are often harsh. He and his family, called a tiospaye, tried growing different crops like alfalfa and corn. They also tried raising animals like horses and bison. But it was hard to grow enough to support everyone.

Why Hemp?

After much research, the Oglala Sioux Tribe passed a rule in 1998. This rule allowed the growing of low-THC hemp on their land. ..... Hemp was a good choice because it grows quickly and is useful for many products. People around the world wanted hemp for things like cloth and food. During World War II, the U.S. government even encouraged farmers to grow hemp because it was strong and cheap.

Challenges with Hemp Farming

In April 2000, Alex White Plume and his family planted industrial hemp on their farm. He was one of the first farmers to openly grow this type of plant in the United States since it was restricted in 1968. Even though hemp products can be sold in the U.S., growing the plant itself was not allowed by federal rules.

Alex White Plume believed that his tribe's right to govern its own land meant he could grow the crop. However, federal agents came to his farm in August 2000 and destroyed his plants. In August 2002, he faced legal action and was told he could not grow the crop anymore. He tried to fight this decision, but a court upheld the federal action. The court did say that the process for farmers like White Plume was difficult.

Hemp Legalization

..... In 2016, Alex White Plume was finally allowed to grow hemp again. In 2017, he started working with a company called Evo Hemp. Together, they began making hemp food products. This partnership helped bring his hemp products to a wider market.

Political Leadership

Alex White Plume is known as a traditional Lakota leader. In November 2004, he was elected vice president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. He served in this role until June 2006.

He became president in June 2006 after the previous president, Cecilia Fire Thunder, was removed from office. Alex White Plume served as president until the next election in November 2006.

Traditional Government Ideas

As president, Alex White Plume wanted to bring back more traditional ways of governing for the Oglala people. He suggested using the Lakota language for tribal business. He even thought that only people who spoke the traditional language should be able to run for office. He believed that using their own language would help solve problems in a new way.

John Yellow Bird Steele became president after Alex White Plume.

Protecting Sacred Ceremonies

In 2009, Alex White Plume spoke out about an event where people were harmed during a "sweat lodge" ceremony. This ceremony was led by someone who was not Native American and charged a lot of money. Alex White Plume said that the Lakota people were working with other tribes. They wanted to stop outsiders from misusing their sacred ceremonies.