LaDonna Harris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
LaDonna Harris
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LaDonna Harris (2011)
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| Born |
Ladonna Vita Tabbytite
February 26, 1931 Temple, Oklahoma, U.S.
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| Occupation | social activist |
| Known for | EasyRiders (June 1985 issue), first Native American woman to run for vice president |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Spouse(s) | |
| Children | 3 |
LaDonna Harris, born on February 26, 1931, is a respected Comanche leader. She is a Native American social activist and politician from Oklahoma. LaDonna Harris started an important group called Americans for Indian Opportunity. She made history as the first Native American woman to run for Vice President of the United States in 1980. In 2018, she was honored in the National Native American Hall of Fame.
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Early Life and Family
LaDonna Vita Tabbytite was born in Temple, Oklahoma. Her mother was Comanche, and her father was not Native American. Her parents separated when she was very young.
LaDonna was raised by her grandparents. They lived on a farm near Walters, Oklahoma. Her family was part of a self-governing Indigenous community. She learned to speak Comanche first. She started learning English when she went to public school.
In 1949, after finishing high school, she married Fred R. Harris. He was the son of a sharecropper. LaDonna supported Fred while he studied law. She also helped a lot with his political campaigns.
In 1964, Fred Harris was elected to the U.S. Senate for Oklahoma. LaDonna and Fred had three children. The family then moved from Oklahoma to Washington, D.C..
Making a Difference in Politics
When LaDonna Harris lived in Washington, D.C., she used her new connections. Her husband was a U.S. Senator. She worked to help Native American communities.
She started the first intertribal group in Oklahoma. It was called Oklahomans for Indian Opportunity (OIO). She also became the first wife of a senator to speak to Congress. She asked them to keep funding Native American tribal groups.
President Lyndon B. Johnson noticed LaDonna Harris's work. He saw her positive impact on Native Americans. He then asked her to join the National Council on Indian Opportunity (NICO).
With President Johnson's help, Harris created a special course. It was called "Indian 101." All members of the U.S. Congress had to take this course. It taught them about Native American issues. Harris taught this course herself for thirty years.
LaDonna Harris later left NICO. She then started a new organization. It was called Americans for Indian Opportunity (AIO). Since the 1970s, she has led AIO. This group works to improve the rights of Indigenous peoples. They focus on culture, politics, and economy. This work happens in the U.S. and around the world.
She also helped start other important Indigenous groups. These include the National Indian Housing Council. She also helped with the Council of Energy Resource Tribes. Other groups are the National Tribal Environmental Council and the National Indian Business Association.
Harris has been asked to join several special government groups. In 1994, Vice President Al Gore recognized her. He called her a leader in telecommunications. She has received many awards and honorary degrees. She also helped start Common Cause. This group works for good government. She also helped start the National Urban Coalition. She speaks out against poverty and unfairness. As a supporter of women's rights, she helped create the National Women's Political Caucus.
Important Activism
LaDonna Harris helped the Taos Pueblo people. They were able to get their sacred Blue Lake back. She also helped the Menominee tribe. They got their federal recognition back. The U.S. government had previously ended their tribal status.
She was also a first member of the Global Tomorrow Coalition. She represented the U.S. at the OAS Inter-American Indigenous Institute. She also worked with the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).
In the 1960s, LaDonna Harris lived in Washington, D.C. She was often in touch with top leaders of the Democratic Party. This included President Lyndon B. Johnson and the First Lady. At the same time, her daughter Kathryn was a university student. Kathryn was very involved in the anti-war movement. This movement was against the Vietnam War. Kathryn would bring other student activists home. They would stay overnight. The Harris home became a meeting place for activists. They prepared for protests there. Her parents quietly allowed this.
After her husband's time in Congress ended, LaDonna Harris changed her focus. She moved away from mainstream Democratic Party politics. In 1980, she ran for Vice President. She was on the Citizens Party ticket with Barry Commoner. By doing this, Harris brought environmental issues into the national discussion. She was the first Indigenous woman to run for Vice President.
In 2016, she supported Bernie Sanders for president. This was during the Democratic presidential primaries. She was also an honorary co-chair for the 2017 Women's March in Washington. This march happened on January 21, 2017.
Community Work
LaDonna Harris has served on many important boards. These include the Girl Scouts of the USA. She also served on the boards of Independent Sector and the Council on Foundations. She was also on the boards of the National Organization for Women and the National Urban League. Other groups include Save the Children and the National Committee Against Discrimination in Housing.
Today, she continues to serve on boards. These include Advancement of Maori Opportunity. She is also on the board of the Institute for 21st Century Agoras. She serves on advisory boards too. These include the National Museum of the American Indian. She is also an honorary member of the Delta Sigma Theta sorority.
Adopting Johnny Depp
In 2012, LaDonna Harris learned about the movie The Lone Ranger. She heard that Johnny Depp would play the character 'Tonto' as a Comanche. Harris decided to adopt Depp as an honorary son. This made him an honorary member of her family. However, he did not become an official member of any tribe.
She talked about the idea with her adult children. They all agreed. A special adoption ceremony took place on May 16, 2012. It happened at Harris's home in Albuquerque, New Mexico. The cultural advisor for The Lone Ranger was there. An official from the tribe also attended.
Harris said, "Welcoming Johnny into the family in the traditional way was so fitting... He's a very thoughtful human being, and throughout his life and career, he has exhibited traits that are aligned with the values and worldview that Indigenous peoples share."
Harris also supported Depp in 2019. This was when an ad for Dior perfume was pulled. The ad featured Depp and Native American images. People said it was cultural appropriation and racist.
Family Life
LaDonna Harris has three children. Her daughter Kathryn Tijerina works in Santa Fe. Her son Byron works in television in Los Angeles. Her daughter Laura works with her mother at AIO. LaDonna's grandson, Sam Fred Goodhope, calls her "Kaqu." This is the Comanche word for grandmother.
Selected Writings
- Harris, Ladonna; Margaret A. Fiore, and Jackie Wasilewski (1989). Overcoming Barriers to Effective Participation of Tribal Governments in the Federal System.
