Clara Nomee facts for kids

Clara Mae White Hip Nomee (May 12, 1938 – January 31, 2012) was an important leader of the Crow Nation in Montana. She served as the Chairwoman of the Crow Nation for five terms, from 1990 to 2000. Clara Nomee made history as the first woman to hold this top leadership position for the Crow people.

About Clara Nomee

Her Early Life and Family

Clara Nomee was born on May 12, 1938, in Crow Agency, Montana. Her parents gave her the Crow name Xooxaashe iisaashe itshe, which means "Good Corn Stock." She grew up near Lodge Grass, Montana, and finished high school there. Clara went on to study at Sheridan Business College and Bacone College in Oklahoma.

Clara married Carlton Nomee Sr. in 1985. They lived in Lodge Grass, Montana. She did not have her own children, but she helped raise twelve family members.

Before becoming a tribal leader, Nomee worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs. This is a U.S. government agency that works with Native American tribes. She worked in their offices in Browning and Crow Agency for thirty years. She also served on the school board for Lodge Grass High School for eight years.

Leading the Crow Nation

Clara Nomee became more involved in politics when her husband, Carlton Nomee Sr., became the Vice Chairman of the Crow Nation. From 1988 to 1990, Clara Nomee served as the Secretary of the Crow Nation.

In 1990, Nomee decided to run for Chairperson of the Crow Nation. This is the highest leadership role for the tribe. It was a big step because no woman had ever held this position before. She faced challenges during her campaign. Some men felt that a woman's place was at home. But Clara Nomee won the election on May 12, 1990. She became the first woman to lead the Crow Nation. She served five two-year terms, from 1990 to 2000.

As Chairwoman, Nomee achieved many important things for the Crow Nation.

• In 1993, she was one of only six Native American leaders chosen to meet with officials from the Clinton administration in Washington, D.C.
• She helped start Crow Native Days. This event brings thousands of visitors to the Crow Nation reservation every year.
• She oversaw the building of the Health Service Hospital. This hospital serves members of the Crow Nation and the nearby Northern Cheyenne tribe.
• She also helped build new facilities for dialysis and a new nursing home. She also helped open a bank.

Nomee was very good at bringing money into the Crow Nation. She helped the tribal government become more financially stable. This meant the tribe had more money to use for important projects and services.

Her administration also solved a very old border dispute that had lasted over 100 years. This dispute was about the exact boundary of the reservation. The Crow Nation won the dispute. This brought in millions of dollars from a special fund related to a coal mine that was now on tribal land. Nomee also successfully worked to get a water compact with the government of Montana. This agreement helped manage water resources for the tribe.

Later Years and Legacy

During her time as Chairwoman, there was a legal issue regarding a land sale in 1994. Nomee had bought 80 acres of land from the Crow Nation. The price she paid was lower than what the land was worth. Federal officials looked into the sale. Nomee said she did nothing wrong. However, she was found responsible for the issue in 1998.

In 1999, a judge sentenced Nomee to six months of house arrest. She also had to pay back $21,000. The judge recognized her important contributions to the Crow Nation. She was allowed to stay in office as Chairwoman.

Nomee continued to serve as Chairwoman. In the May 2000 tribal election, she ran for a sixth term but was not re-elected. Clifford Birdinground won the election.

After leaving office in 2000, Nomee mostly stayed out of the public eye. She passed away at St. Vincent's Hospital in Billings, Montana, on January 31, 2012. She was 73 years old. She was buried at Lodge Grass Cemetery after a funeral at Lodge Grass Our Lady of Loretto Catholic Church.

The Crow Chairman at the time, Cedric Black Eagle, spoke about her legacy. He said that her ten years as Chairwoman brought stability to the Crow tribal government. He noted that many of her achievements still stand today, showing the strong leadership she brought to the Crow people.