John Emhoolah Jr. facts for kids
John Emhoolah Jr. (born October 12, 1929 – died April 21, 2021) was an important Kiowa leader. He worked hard to improve education for Native American people. He focused his efforts in the Seattle and Denver areas.
John Emhoolah Jr. helped start the Native American studies program at the University of Washington. For 50 years, he created and led many groups that supported Native American education and culture. In 2021, a library in Denver was named after him to honor his work.
Early Life and Education
John Emhoolah Jr. was born in 1929 in Lawton, Oklahoma. He grew up near Anadarko. He was a member of the Kiowa nation and also had Arapaho family roots. His Kiowa name was Pbonh Goot Thay, which means "Yellow Bead." His family were survivors of the 1864 Sand Creek Massacre.
He went to Riverside Indian School, which was a special school for Native American children. After that, he studied at Wichita State University and then Colorado State University. He earned a degree in education.
Military Service
From 1950 to 1952, John Emhoolah Jr. served in the Korean War. He was part of the U.S. Army's 45th Infantry Division. This division was known as the "Thunderbirds." Because of his service, he earned the nickname "Thunderbird Man."
Career and Activism
After his time in the military, Emhoolah first worked as an engineer at Boeing. He worked in both Kansas and Washington. However, he became famous for his 50 years of work in Native American education and activism. In 2008, he received the Elder of the Year Award from the National Indian Education Association.
His work in education began in 1970. He became the director of the Indian Education Program for Seattle Public Schools. He also worked as an assistant dean at Green River College. He taught at the University of Washington, where he started the Native American studies program. In Seattle, he helped create and lead groups like United Indians of All Tribes and the Seattle Indian Health Board. He also served as president of the Northwest Inter-Tribal Club.
In 1975, he moved to Denver. There, he worked for the American Indian Higher Education Consortium. His job was to find money to start and support tribal colleges. In Denver, he became a very important leader in the Native American community. He helped start the Denver March Powwow. He also directed the Denver Indian Center. He led the Native American Resource Group at the Denver Museum of Nature and Science.
Later, he worked for his own Kiowa nation as a deputy tribal administrator. He always stayed very involved with his tribe. From 1997 until he retired, he directed the Indian education program for the Adams 12 Five Star Schools in Denver.
John Emhoolah Jr. also worked on projects that helped Native Americans across the country. He was on the committee that helped create the National Native American Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C.. This memorial honors Native American veterans.
Legacy
John Emhoolah Jr. passed away in Thornton, Colorado, in 2021. He was 91 years old. Later that year, a branch of the Denver Public Library was renamed in his honor. The community voted to name it the John "Thunderbird Man" Emhoolah, Jr. Branch Library. This library was previously named after William Byers. Byers was a newspaper founder who had supported the Sand Creek Massacre, which affected Emhoolah's ancestors. Renaming the library honored Emhoolah's important work and legacy.
