Harry J. W. Belvin facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Harry J. W. Belvin
Chief of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
In office 1948–1975
Preceded by	William A. Durant
Succeeded by	C. David Gardner
Member of the Oklahoma Senate from the 20th District
In office 1961–1965
Preceded by	Keith Cartwright
Succeeded by	Roy Grantham
Member of the Oklahoma House of Representatives from the 20th District
In office 1955–1961
Preceded by	James E. Douglas
Succeeded by	Sam Sullivan
Personal details
Born	December 11, 1900 Boswell, Choctaw Nation, Indian Territory, U.S.
Died	September 19, 1986 (aged 85) Durant, Oklahoma, U.S.
Resting place	Highland Cemetery, Durant, Oklahoma
Nationality	United States Choctaw Nation
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Lucille Brightwell (1903-1991)
Children	Louise Belvin Frazier
Parents	Watson J. and Mabel Powers Belvin
Education	Bachelor of Science Masters of Education
Alma mater	Southeastern Oklahoma State University (B.S.) University of Oklahoma (M.E.)

Harry James Watson "Jimmy" Belvin (1900-1986) was an important leader for the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. He was also an educator and served in the Oklahoma State government.

Belvin was the first elected chief of any of the Five Civilized Tribes in the 20th century. He served the longest as the principal chief of the Choctaw Nation. He helped his tribe through big changes, including a time when the government tried to end its relationship with tribes. He also saw a rebirth of Native pride.

Some people saw him as a strong leader who wanted his tribe to fully join the wider society. They felt he didn't support Choctaw traditions enough. Others saw him as a popular leader who worked hard to help his people. He talked to tribe members directly and tried to solve their problems like poverty and unemployment.

Early Life and Education

Jimmy Belvin was born in Boswell, Indian Territory, on December 11, 1900. His parents were Watson J. and Mabel Powers Belvin. His family had been forced to move from Mississippi on the Trail of Tears.

He went to school in Boswell. Later, he earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Southeastern Teachers College. In 1941, he completed a Master's of Education at the University of Oklahoma.

Belvin taught school in Oklahoma from 1923 to 1939. In 1941, he became the Bryan County Superintendent of Public Instruction. He held this job until 1952. After that, he started a cattle ranch.

In 1955, Belvin was elected to the Oklahoma State House of Representatives. He served three terms there. In 1960, he was elected as an Oklahoma State Senator.

Advocating for Tribal Lands

Even before he became chief, Belvin was a strong voice for the Choctaw and Chickasaw tribes. He wanted to sell their shared coal and asphalt lands. These lands were about 400,000 acres. The U.S. government had agreed to buy them in 1902 but hadn't done so.

In 1946, the tribes wanted $33.1 million for the land. The U.S. government offered only $2.2 million. Belvin wrote many letters to lawmakers. He criticized the delays in buying the land.

When a settlement of $8.5 million was reached, Belvin questioned it. He wondered why tribal representatives were not part of the talks. He also thought the land was worth much more. It held a lot of coal and was near an oil discovery.

Belvin helped create the Choctaw-Chickasaw Confederation in 1947. This group helped tribes track their assets and share information. He urged tribe members to vote on the land offer. He didn't tell them how to vote, but wanted them to decide for themselves. Once he became chief, he worked to get the money to his tribe members who needed it.

Becoming Choctaw Principal Chief

Belvin was first elected as Principal Chief of the Choctaw Nation in 1948. This was a very important moment. He was the first chief of any of the Five Civilized Tribes to be elected by the people in the 20th century. Before this, U.S. presidents usually appointed the chiefs.

In 1954, the government thought the tribe didn't need a full-time chief. Belvin worked with Congressman Carl Albert to keep it a full-time job. Belvin strongly believed tribes should elect their own leaders. He even encouraged the Chickasaw Nation to push for their own elections.

Working Together: Inter-Tribal Council

The Five Civilized Tribes (Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek, and Seminole) have a shared history. They faced similar challenges like forced removal and government oversight. They realized working together could help them all.

In 1949, leaders from these tribes met in Muskogee, Oklahoma. They formed the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes (ITC). They promised to work together for their people's rights and well-being. This included improving education, health care, and housing.

Belvin was a member of the ITC from its start in 1949 until 1975. The ITC has worked for over 50 years on issues like education, health, housing, and tribal sovereignty.

Understanding Termination Policy

From the 1940s to the 1960s, the U.S. government had a policy called "Indian termination." This policy aimed to end the government's special relationship with Native tribes. It also sought to end federal support and services.

One of the first laws was the Indian Claims Commission Act of 1946. This law was meant to settle all claims tribes had against the U.S. government. Tribes had five years to file their complaints.

When Belvin became chief in 1948, he learned that only federally recognized tribes could file claims. He wanted his tribe to get money back from past dealings. So, he worked to reorganize the Choctaw government. He created a democratically elected tribal council and a constitution.

At first, Belvin might have thought termination would give the Choctaw more control. In 1954, he told other chiefs that many Choctaw supported ending the tribe's official status. However, he also said the government was trying to "shirk its responsibility" to Native people.

After being chief for eleven years, Belvin asked Congressman Carl Albert to introduce a bill to terminate the Choctaw tribe. Belvin believed this would free the tribe from the strict oversight of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). He thought it would let the tribe manage its own affairs and assets.

The bill passed in 1959 and was sometimes called Belvin's law. Belvin promoted it, thinking it would help with unemployment and poverty. He believed tribe members would get payments from selling tribal assets. However, many people later said Belvin never used the word "termination." They didn't realize the bill would end the tribe's official government and services.

Belvin later realized the bill was hurting tribe members. It cut off their access to government loans and other services. By 1967, he was asking lawmakers to repeal the termination act. He publicly stated that the tribe needed to decide if they wanted to repeal the act or form a tribal corporation. Many powerful people, including Congressman Albert, supported repealing the bill.

Public opinion also started to change. The Choctaw people saw what termination did to other tribes in Oklahoma. In 1969, word spread that Belvin's law was a termination bill. The Choctaw Youth Movement fought against it. This movement helped create a new sense of tribal pride. Congress finally repealed the law on August 24, 1970.

The Choctaw Youth Movement

In 1969, the Choctaw Youth Movement began. Young Choctaw people, led by Charles E. Brown, learned the government was dissolving the Choctaw tribe. They believed many Choctaw didn't know "Belvin's law" was a termination bill.

They started organizing other Choctaw people, especially in Oklahoma City. They used family connections to reach relatives across the country. They urged everyone to fight termination and be proud of their Choctaw heritage. They published a newsletter called Hello Choctaws. They also lobbied Congress and the BIA to stop termination.

The youth activists felt Belvin supported termination. They believed he was betraying tribal goals. Belvin, in turn, felt personally attacked. He held meetings to explain his actions.

It's hard to say exactly how much the Choctaw Youth Movement helped overturn the law. Public opinion was already changing. Belvin himself had been pushing to overturn the law for two years. Both Belvin and the youth wanted tribes to have the right to elect their own leaders.

Their main difference was how they saw the tribe. Belvin seemed to see it as a business that managed tribal assets. The activists saw it as a group that built community and promoted Choctaw identity. The movement definitely helped bring about a strong sense of Choctaw pride and nationalism.

Focus on Indian Education

As a teacher, Belvin was always interested in improving education for Native Americans. He believed education should teach skills for earning a living. He also stressed that Native people should not forget their culture and heritage.

In 1959, Belvin supported creating a Choctaw high school in Mississippi. A Choctaw worker there had a mixed-blood daughter who couldn't attend local schools due to racism. Belvin and other activists pushed for a high school for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. It took several years, but the high school eventually became a reality.

Belvin knew his generation was told to learn English and not Choctaw. However, his work shows he supported both. Around 1969, Belvin helped Southeastern State College (now Southeastern Oklahoma State University) start a Bilingual Education Program.

This program helped four elementary schools in Choctaw country. Its goals were:

• Students should feel good about themselves.
• Choctaw language should be used as a base for learning English.
• Teachers should understand and respect Choctaw language and culture.

This program continued until federal funding was cut around 1982.

Creating the Choctaw Nation Housing Authority

In the 1960s, during President Lyndon B. Johnson's "War on Poverty" programs, Belvin saw a need for better housing. He applied to the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) to create a tribal housing authority.

He knew that many federal programs for Native Americans focused on reservations. Oklahoma tribes often didn't have large land bases, so these programs didn't always help them. Also, the termination bill had stopped many loan programs.

HUD first denied Belvin's application. In 1966, he reapplied under rules for a state agency. He named himself, as chief, with the powers of a mayor for this purpose. A board of five people was appointed to manage the housing authority.

By 1971, 364 homes for low-income Native families were built or fixed. Also, 116 low-rent housing units were finished. By 1973, 885 houses were completed and occupied, with more under construction.

Tribal Election of 1971

On October 22, 1970, the U.S. Congress passed a law allowing the Five Civilized Tribes to elect their Principal Chief. This was a big step for tribal self-governance.

An election committee decided that all direct descendants of Choctaw people listed on the Dawes Rolls could vote. This meant about 25% of the votes came from people living outside the area.

Belvin won this election, but it was his last term as chief. Some felt his efforts to rebuild the tribe were not strong enough. He lost the next election in 1975.

Offices, Recognition and Awards

• 1947-1953: State President of the Choctaw-Chickasaw Confederation
• 1948-1950: President of the Board of Trustees for the Goodland Academy & Indian Orphanage
• 1949-1975: Member of the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes
• 1957: Named Outstanding Indian of Oklahoma by the Tulsa Indian Democratic Club
• 1959: Named Outstanding American Indian by the Anadarko Indian Exposition
• October 6, 1968: Proclaimed "Chief Belvin Day" by the American Indian Institute of the University of Oklahoma for his work in Indian Education
• 1968-1972: Member of the Oklahoma City Indian Health Service Advisory Board
• 1968-1972: Member of the Surgeon General's Advisory Board on Indian Health
• June 1, 1975: The Harry J. W. Belvin Indian Health Center in Hugo, OK was dedicated in his honor
• July 18, 1975: Honored by the Inter-Tribal Council of the Five Civilized Tribes as an Outstanding American Indian Citizen

Personal Life

On December 21, 1922, Harry Belvin married Lucille Brightwell in Boswell, Oklahoma. They had one child, Louise Belvin Frazier.

Belvin was an elder in the Presbyterian Church. He passed away on September 19, 1986, and was buried in Highland Cemetery in Durant, Oklahoma.