Clinton Rickard facts for kids

Clinton Rickard (1882–1971) was an important Tuscarora chief. He is remembered for starting the Indian Defense League. He also worked hard to protect the rights of Native Americans. He believed that Native nations should be independent, like separate countries. Chief Rickard fought for Native Americans to travel freely across the US–Canada border. He also tried to stop the Tuscarora Reservation from being flooded.

Chief Clinton Rickard was a strong leader for his people.

Life of Chief Rickard

Early Life and Service

Clinton Rickard was born on May 19, 1882. His birthplace was the Tuscarora Reservation in New York. His parents were George and Lucy Rickard.

When he was younger, Clinton was one of ten soldiers. Their job was to protect Vice President Theodore Roosevelt. This happened during a visit to Buffalo in 1901. Later, he served in the US Cavalry. He fought in the Philippine insurrection. This was after the Spanish–American War.

After his service, he became a farmer. People described him as "plain-spoken," meaning he spoke clearly and directly.

Founding the Indian Defense League

In 1926, Chief Clinton Rickard started the Indian Defense League. He founded it with Chief David Hill, Jr. and Sophie Martin. The main goal of the League was to allow Native Americans to travel freely. This meant crossing the border between the United States and Canada without problems.

Chief Rickard always taught about the sovereignty of Indian nations. Sovereignty means that a nation has the right to govern itself. He believed Native nations were separate from the United States or Canada. He focused on defending border rights. These rights were promised in the Jay Treaty. Rickard strongly believed that all Six Nations people were citizens of their own nations.

To help with this, Chief Rickard started an annual border-crossing ceremony. This ceremony helped confirm the rights of Native Americans. It showed they could cross the border without fees or being stopped.

The Influence of Deskaheh

Another chief named Deskaheh greatly influenced Rickard. Deskaheh was important in Rickard's fight for free border passage.

Deskaheh became ill while staying at Chief Rickard's house. This was on the Tuscarora Reservation in New York. He asked for his traditional medicine man. The medicine man was from the Six Nations Reserve in Canada. But the medicine man was not allowed to cross the border.

The U.S. had just passed a new law in 1924. This law said people who did not speak English could not enter the country. This rule was mostly meant for people from Asia. But it also stopped Native American medicine men. They often only spoke their own language. So, Deskaheh's medicine man could not reach him. Deskaheh sadly died in Chief Rickard's house in June 1925.

Before he died, Deskaheh told Rickard to "Fight for the line." This meant fighting for the border rights. Later that summer, Rickard was chosen to continue Deskaheh's work. He then spent his life defending the right of free passage for Aboriginal people.

World War II and Citizenship

During World War II, Chief Rickard had a special message. He encouraged Native Americans who wanted to join the military to do so as Native Americans. He did not want them to join as U.S. citizens.

A law passed in 1940 made all American Indians U.S. citizens. It also required Native men to register for the draft. The Indian Defense League of America did not agree with this law. Chief Rickard urged those who volunteered to join as "alien non-residents." This meant they were joining as members of their own nations, not as U.S. citizens.

Protecting the Reservation

In 1958, the New York Power Authority announced a plan. They wanted to flood about one-fifth of the Tuscarora Reservation. Chief Clinton Rickard became a leader in the protests against this plan. He also helped with the legal battles. Sadly, the Tuscarora people eventually lost this fight.

Chief Rickard was often seen wearing a buckskin suit and a large feather headdress. He wore this traditional clothing at public events through the 1960s.

Chief Rickard's Beliefs

Chief Rickard once explained an important belief. He said that in 1930, a bill in Congress threatened his people. This bill would have given control of the Six Nations to New York State.

Native Americans have always worried about being controlled by states. They preferred to work with the federal government. This is because people living closest to Native Americans were often prejudiced against them. They also often wanted Native lands. Rickard believed it was easier to get justice from Washington (the federal government). He felt it was harder to get justice from state or local governments. Also, giving control to the state would lessen the importance of Native people. It would also ignore the fact that their treaties were with the United States government.

Legacy

A statue of Chief Clinton Rickard stands today. It was created by Heinz Gaugel. You can find it near the Great Lakes Gardens in Niagara Falls State Park.

You can also hear Chief Rickard speaking. An audio clip of him speaking in the Tuscarora language is available. It is about "the enlistment of a group of Tuscarora soldiers." This clip is on the American Philosophical Society website.

Chief Rickard had many children. Some of them continued his important work. His son William and daughter Karen were active in protests. They participated in the American Indian Charter Convention in Chicago in 1961. Karen also helped start the National Indian Youth Council. His daughter Onalee Cooper works to help hearing-impaired Native Americans. His daughter, Beverly Rickard Hill, and granddaughter, Jolene Rickard, have also continued his efforts.