Carter Revard facts for kids

Carter Curtis Revard (born March 25, 1931 – died January 3, 2022) was an American poet, scholar, and writer. He had both European American and Osage heritage. Carter grew up on the tribal reservation in Oklahoma.

He started his education in a small, one-room schoolhouse. Later, he won a scholarship from a quiz show to attend college. He then earned his first degree from the University of Tulsa. In 1952, his Osage grandmother, Josephine Jump, gave him his Osage name, Nompehwahthe. That same year, he won a special scholarship called a Rhodes Scholarship. This allowed him to study at Oxford University in England. After earning his PhD from Yale University, Revard spent most of his teaching career at Washington University in St. Louis. There, he became an expert in old British literature and language. Since 1980, Carter Revard became well-known as a Native American poet. He published many books and articles and received several awards for his work.

Carter Revard's Early Life and School Days

Carter Revard was born in Pawhuska, Oklahoma, on March 25, 1931. This town is located within the Osage Indian Reservation. He had both European American and Osage roots. He grew up in the Buck Creek Valley, about 20 miles east of Pawhuska. Carter and his twin sister were two of seven children in their family. Their family had a mix of Osage, Ponca, French, Irish, and Scotch-Irish backgrounds.

The children went to school in a one-room schoolhouse on the Osage reservation. They learned up to the eighth grade there. Carter learned some Osage and Ponca, which are related languages. Besides schoolwork, Carter and his classmates also helped with farming and other small jobs. Carter even helped train greyhounds for racing! He later went to Bartlesville College High. He often said his teachers there helped him love literature and science.

Carter won a scholarship from a radio quiz show. This helped him attend the University of Tulsa, where he earned his first degree. A professor named Franklin Eikenberry guided him. Professor Eikenberry encouraged Carter to apply for a Rhodes Scholarship. This special scholarship allowed him to study at Oxford University in England. In 1952, Carter started at Merton College at Oxford. He earned a degree in English there in 1954. After returning to the United States, Professor Eikenberry encouraged him to continue his studies. Carter Revard earned his PhD in English from Yale University in 1959.

Teaching and Research Career

Carter Revard first taught at Amherst College. Then, in 1961, he began teaching at Washington University in St. Louis. He spent most of his teaching career there. The Osage people's traditional lands were once in the Missouri area before they were moved to a reservation.

During his career, Carter Revard mainly studied medieval British writings and their history. He was a respected expert in this field. He also created classes for high school teachers. These classes helped teachers understand how much their teenage students learn about language. Revard also wrote academic papers about linguistics. This is the study of language, especially how Middle English changed into later forms of the language.

In 1971-1972, Revard went to England for a sabbatical. This is a break from work for study or travel. He tried to do research on medieval topics at Oxford. During this time, he also started writing and sending out poems. These poems appeared in magazines and books. One of his poems was in Voices from the Rainbow: Contemporary Poetry by American Indians in 1975. His first book of poems, Ponca War Dancers, was published in 1980. Many of the poems he wrote about his time at Oxford were later collected in his book An Eagle Nation (1993). One poem, "Homework At Oxford," describes him walking around the university and dreaming of his childhood in Oklahoma. Revard also taught as a visiting professor at the Universities of Tulsa and Oklahoma.

He also wrote several important articles about Native American literature. He looked at this literature and showed how it fits into American writing.

Carter Revard's Writing Style

Carter Revard's early poems, published between 1975 and 1980, showed him as a strong new voice among Native American poets. His books often mix poetry with stories about his own life (called autobiographical essays). They also include short stories, sometimes with hidden meanings (called allegorical stories). His poems have appeared in many journals and collections. His work has even been translated into French, Spanish, Italian, and Hungarian.

His writing often explores themes of identity, history, and the connection between his Osage heritage and his academic life. He uses his experiences to share important messages about culture and belonging.

Family Life and Passing

Carter Revard was married to Stella, who was also a scholar. They had four children: Stephen, Geoffrey, Vanessa, and Lawrence. Carter Revard passed away at his home in University City on January 3, 2022. He was 90 years old.

Awards and Special Recognition

• 2007 - American Indian Festival of Words Author Award
• 2005 - Lifetime Achievement Award, Native Writers' Circle of the Americas
• 2002 - Finalist, Oklahoma Book Award, Nonfiction category, for Winning the Dust Bowl
• 2000 - Writer of the Year, Wordcraft Circle of Native Writers
• 1994 - Oklahoma Book Award, Poetry category, for Cowboys and Indians Christmas Shopping
• In Spring 2003, the journal Studies in American Indian Literatures (SAIL) dedicated an entire issue to discussing Revard's work. It also included some of his own writings.

Carter Revard was a member of several important groups. These included the Modern Language Association (MLA), the Association for Studies in American Indian Literature, and the Association of American Rhodes Scholars. He was also part of the University of Tulsa Board of Visitors, the St. Louis Gourd Dancers, and Phi Beta Kappa. He also served on the board of the American Indian Center of St. Louis, where he was Secretary and President.

Books by Carter Revard

• How the Songs Come Down, Salt Publications (2005), poetry
• Winning the Dust Bowl, University of Arizona Press (2001), autobiography
• Family Matters, Tribal Affairs, University of Arizona Press (1999), autobiography
• An Eagle Nation, University of Arizona Press (1997) poetry
• Cowboys and Indians Christmas Shopping, Point Riders Press (1992), poetry
• Ponca War Dancers, Point Riders Press (1980), poetry

Books about Carter Revard

• The Salt Companion to Carter Revard, Ellen L. Arnold (Ed.) [1]