Esther Louise Georgette Deer facts for kids

Esther Louise Georgette Deer (born around 1891 – died 1992) was a Native American dancer, singer, and activist. She was a member of the Mohawk tribe. She was known by her stage name, Princess White Deer.

Princess White Deer performed with her family in a show called The Famous Deer Brothers. They traveled and performed in the United States, Europe, and South Africa. When she returned to America during World War I, she helped raise money for the war effort. This is where Florenz Ziegfeld Jr. noticed her. She then joined his famous show, the Ziegfeld Follies, and became a main performer. She also worked hard to get rights for Native Americans recognized in America.

Princess White Deer lived to be 100 years old.

Her Life and Career

Early Life and Family Shows

Esther Louise Georgette Deer was born in 1891 into a Mohawk family. Her family came from the Kahnawake Mohawk Territory in Québec, Canada. She started performing when she was a child with her family members. Her grandfather was Chief John Running Deer, who was an important leader of the Akwesasne Wolf Belt.

When she was about eleven years old, she joined her family's act, The Famous Deer Brothers. They were known as "Champion Indian Trick Riders of the World." As a teenager, Deer performed in Wild West shows. These shows were very popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. They often showed a romantic, but not always accurate, version of the American West. Around 1905, her family's show changed its name to The Deer Family Wild West Show. They began performing across Europe.

Becoming a Solo Star

When she was in her late 20s, Deer decided to start her own career. She lived in Europe for a few years, mostly in Russia. After World War I started, Deer came back to the United States. She began performing to help raise money for the government's war efforts.

By the 1920s, Deer was performing in vaudeville shows. Vaudeville was a popular type of entertainment with many different acts. She became very well known, especially as a Native American woman performer. In 1925, she wrote and starred in her own play called From Wigwam to White Lights.

She was very successful on stage. She performed with famous people like Will Rogers, Eddie Cantor, and Harry Houdini. She was also in Ziegfeld shows and four Broadway musicals.

Activism and Helping Others

Besides her entertainment career, Deer was also famous for her work as an activist and for helping people. She supported many charities during her life. One of the most important was the American Indian Defense Association.

In 1937, she worked with President Roosevelt. She invited him and a group from Canada to a meeting of the Grand Council of Chiefs of the Six Nations of the Iroquois. By the late 1930s, Deer stopped performing. She then focused all her energy on her important activism work.

Theater Performances

Princess White Deer, performing in the Ziegfeld 9 O'clock Frolic

Here are some of the plays and shows Princess White Deer performed in:

• Lucky (March 22, 1927 - May 21, 1927) ... played Strawberry
• The Yankee Princess (October 2, 1922 - December 9, 1922) ... played Indian Dancer
• 9 O'clock Frolic (February 8, 1921 - March 1921) ... played Princess White Deer
• Ziegfeld Midnight Frolic (February 1, 1921 - unknown) ... played Princess White Deer
• Tip Top (October 5, 1920 - May 7, 1921) ... played Wetonah
• Dance to the Great Spirit
• Hitchi Koo