Dorothy Lonewolf Miller facts for kids

Dorothy Lonewolf Miller (1920 – May 30, 2003) was an amazing activist from Iowa. She was part of the Blackfoot people. Dorothy worked hard as a union organizer and a social worker. She also helped people get good health care.

One of her most famous actions was joining the Alcatraz occupation. During this time, she helped at the health clinic on the island. Dorothy spent 40 years studying social issues and helping many different groups of people. She helped Native Americans, children, prisoners, and people with mental health needs in California. After she passed away in 2003, she was honored in the California Social Work Hall of Distinction in 2004.

Early Life and Education

Dorothy Lonewolf Miller was born in 1920 in West Liberty, Iowa. She was part Blackfoot. When she was just 19, she joined the Iowa Writers' Workshop. She even started publishing her poems in books.

Around the same time, Dorothy began working in factories in Iowa. She became a union organizer. This was the start of her long life of helping others and fighting for what was right.

Dorothy went to the University of Iowa. She earned a bachelor's degree in sociology in 1955. She loved learning and continued her studies there. In 1957, she earned a master's degree in Social Work.

Working for Change in California

In the 1960s, Dorothy moved to California. She became a big part of a movement called deinstitutionalization. This movement wanted to help people with mental health issues. Instead of keeping them in hospitals, Dorothy believed they should be treated at home.

She worked and did research at the California Department of Mental Hygiene. Her work helped change laws about how state hospitals cared for people. In 1966, Dorothy left her public job. She started her own non-profit research company in San Francisco. It was called Scientific Analysis Corporation.

Important Research and Laws

Dorothy researched many important social issues. These included mental health, making prisons better, helping runaway teens, and supporting Native Americans living in cities. In 1967, she earned her PhD in Social Welfare from UC Berkeley.

Her research was very important. In 1968, it helped pass a law called the Lanterman-Petris-Short Act. This law changed how people with mental health issues were treated in California. In that same year, she also started and became the director of the Institute for Scientific Analysis (ISA).

The Alcatraz Occupation

When Native Americans began the occupation of Alcatraz Island, Dorothy was there to help. She worked with Stella Leach, a nurse who organized the health services. They also worked with Jenny Joe and volunteer doctors. Together, they set up a health clinic on the island.

Dorothy also wrote poems about the occupation. She wanted to share the story and make sure people remembered this important event. She wrote nearly a dozen poems during the occupation.

She also set up an "Indian Desk" at her company. This desk helped send money and messages to the people on Alcatraz. She managed the bank account for the "Indians of All Tribes" group. She also helped with radio services between Alcatraz and the mainland.

Later Life and Legacy

Throughout the 1970s and 1980s, Dorothy continued her research. She published many findings about social services and welfare. Many of her studies were paid for by the state or federal government. Her work helped start new programs and groups. These groups worked to improve education and services for many different parts of society.

She continued to be the director of the ISA until she retired in 2000. Before she passed away, she gave 400 books about Native Americans to the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians. This gift helped the tribe start their own library. To honor her, they created the Lonewolf Reading Room. They also built the Cham-Mix Poki (House of our Culture) to keep the book collection.

Dorothy Lonewolf Miller passed away on May 30, 2003. In 2004, she was honored for her amazing work. She was added to the California Social Work Hall of Distinction.

See also

In Spanish: Dorothy Lonewolf Miller para niños