Cecilia Fire Thunder facts for kids

South Dakota Little Wound School students hold round table discussions on their vision of the future that Tribal elder Cecilia Fire Thunder facilitated.

Cecilia Fire Thunder (born Cecilia Apple; October 24, 1946) is a nurse and a leader of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. She made history on November 2, 2004, when she became the first woman elected as president of the Tribe. She served until June 29, 2006. During her time as president, she worked to improve health services for her community.

Cecilia Fire Thunder helped start health clinics in California. After returning to her home, she also helped create the Oglala Lakota Women's Society. She works to support healthy families and helps people facing difficult situations. She is also involved with the Native Women's Society of the Great Plains.

Early Life and Education

Cecilia Apple was born on October 24, 1946, on the Pine Ridge Reservation. She was the third of seven daughters. Her parents were Stephen and Lollie Apple. Her father was a farmer, and her mother was a "culture-keeper," meaning she helped preserve their traditions. The family spoke the Lakota language at home.

Cecilia attended the Catholic Red Cloud Indian School. There, she was required to speak English and was not allowed to speak Lakota. In 1963, her family moved to Los Angeles, California. This move was part of a program to help Native Americans find education and jobs in cities.

Later, Cecilia became a single mother. A social worker helped her join a nursing program. After passing her nursing exams, she began her career in healthcare. In 1986, Cecilia returned to the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation. For her dedication to Native American healthcare, she was given the Lakota name "Good Hearted Woman."

Family Life

While living in Los Angeles, Cecilia Apple married John Fire Thunder. They had two sons, James and John. Cecilia also has two granddaughters, Katie and Hannah, from her son John. Cecilia and John later divorced.

Community Work and Leadership

As a young nurse in California, Cecilia Fire Thunder helped establish community health clinics. She worked in Los Angeles and San Diego. She learned how to find resources and work with different communities. She even convinced doctors from major universities to volunteer their time at the clinics.

After more than 20 years away, Cecilia returned to the Pine Ridge Reservation in 1986. She began working at the Bennett County Hospital. She was one of the people who helped start the Oglala Lakota Women's Society. Through her nursing experience, she understood the importance of helping mothers and children stay healthy. She serves on the National Advisory Board of the National Organization on Fetal Alcohol Syndrome (NOFAS). She also worked at Cangleska, Inc., a shelter that helps people in need.

Cecilia is a native Lakota speaker. She has actively supported efforts to bring back the Lakota language among young people and adults. She believes that speaking their language is a very important part of their culture. She also joined the National Congress of American Indians to discuss issues facing Native communities.

Serving as Tribal President

On November 2, 2004, Cecilia Fire Thunder was elected as the first female president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. She served the two-year term for the Pine Ridge Reservation. She won against other well-known leaders, including Russell Means.

In 2005, the tribal council temporarily suspended her. This was due to questions about a loan she had negotiated for the tribe. Cecilia stated that the allegations were false. She said she had openly worked on the loan to help the tribe's financial situation. The complaint was later dismissed, and she returned to her position.

In March 2006, Cecilia Fire Thunder announced a plan to create a health clinic on her own land within the reservation. This was in response to a new state law in South Dakota about women's health. She believed her community needed full family health services. She also thought that the reservation, as a sovereign nation, would not be bound by state laws.

Her plan received a lot of attention and caused discussion within the reservation. Some tribal members protested the clinic. Others disagreed with how she had moved forward without full agreement from the tribal council. On May 31, 2006, the Oglala Sioux Tribal Council suspended her. They said she had not gained their agreement before inviting the health organization to the reservation. The Council also passed a rule about health services on tribal land.

A month later, on June 29, 2006, the tribal council voted to remove Cecilia Fire Thunder from her role as Tribal President. They made several charges against her. The main reason was that they felt she had not gained the tribal council's agreement for the health clinic. On June 30, 2006, Alex White Plume, the tribal vice-president, became the acting president.

Cecilia Fire Thunder challenged the decision to remove her, but she was not successful. As of 2010, she continues her work as the coordinator of the Native Women's Society of the Great Plains.

Honors and Recognition

Because she was the first woman elected president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe, Cecilia Fire Thunder is often invited to speak. She shares her experiences and talks about the lives of Lakota women. Some of her speaking engagements include:

• March 2010: Women's History Month event at New York University.
• September 2010: Tribal Leaders Summit in Bismarck, North Dakota, where she spoke about supporting children and families.