Elwood Towner facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Elwood Towner
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| Born | c. 1897 |
| Died | October 6, 1954 (aged 57) |
| Resting place | Willamette National Cemetery Portland, Oregon |
| Nationality | American |
| Occupation | Attorney, tribal advocate, pro-Nazi speaker |
| Years active | 1930s–1940s |
| Spouse(s) | Evelyn M. Redpath |
Elwood Alfred Towner (born around 1897 – died October 6, 1954) was an American lawyer and a supporter of Native American rights. He also used the name Chief Red Cloud. During the 1930s, he became known for his speeches, where he expressed strong views against Jewish people and supported Adolf Hitler.
Towner was a mixed-race Hupa Native American from Portland, Oregon. He gave many speeches in the American Northwest in the late 1930s. He was interested in the ideas of William Dudley Pelley, who wanted to help Native Americans leave reservations. Towner was also active in the American Indian Federation. He gained support for this group from other organizations with extreme views, such as the German American Bund and the Silver Legion of America.
Early Life and Education
Elwood Towner was born on the Siletz Reservation in the late 1890s. As a young boy, he attended the Chemawa Indian School in Salem.
Military Service and Law Career
During the First World War, Towner served as a private in the U.S. Marine Corps. After the war, he studied law and graduated from Willamette University College of Law in 1926.
As a lawyer, Towner worked to help Native American clients. In 1933, he called for the Chemawa school to be closed. He believed this was part of helping Native Americans gain more freedom. He also spoke out against the federal government's plans to build dams on the Columbia River.
See also
In Spanish: Elwood Towner para niños
