Minnie Evans (Potawatomi leader) facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Minnie Evans
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Ke-waht-no-quah Wish-Ken-O
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Minnie Wishkeno KaKaQue circa 1915
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| Potawatomi leader | |
| In office 1933–1965 |
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| Tribal chairperson | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | October 14, 1888 Mayetta, Kansas |
| Died | October 21, 1971 (aged 83) Mayetta, Kansas |
| Resting place | Wishkeno Cemetery, Mayetta, Kansas |
| Spouses |
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| Mother tongue | Potawatomi |
Minnie Evans (Potawatomi name: Ke-waht-no-quah Wish-Ken-O) was an important leader of the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. Born on October 14, 1888, she worked hard to protect her tribe. She successfully fought against a government plan to end federal support for Native American tribes. She also helped her tribe get money for land that was taken unfairly. Minnie Evans passed away on October 21, 1971.
Contents
Minnie's Early Life
Minnie Wish-Ken-O was born in Mayetta, Kansas, on October 14, 1888. She grew up in the Mayetta community with her brothers and sisters. Minnie went to the Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas. There, she learned to speak and write English.
At that time, Haskell was a boarding school where students learned practical skills. Students were often punished if they spoke their native language. The government was also dividing up tribal lands into smaller pieces, called allotments. Minnie and her siblings received land allotments.
Life on the reservation was like a typical farm. A visitor in 1916 described Minnie's farm as neat and well-kept. He noted that Minnie was raising many chickens. The farm looked much like any other farm in the area.
Hard Times for the Tribe
After World War I, the good times ended, and the Great Depression began. This was a period of severe economic hardship. Kansas also faced a terrible drought, known as the Dust Bowl. Temperatures were very high, and wells dried up.
People had to sell or give away their livestock because there was no water. Gardens, which were a main food source, withered. Kansas officials refused to help Native people, saying they did not have enough money. Federal programs for Native Americans were often delayed. To survive, the Prairie Potawatomi hunted, trapped, and traded goods.
During these difficult years, Minnie Evans became a strong leader. She believed in keeping their old customs and traditions. She was known for being brave and speaking her mind. Many people respected her, even if they did not always agree with her.
Leading the Tribe
For many years, the tribal council had not met regularly. The government agency that worked with the tribe closed in 1903. This stopped payments to tribal members. Tribal leaders became only advisors to the Bureau of Indian Affairs.
Minnie's father was not a headman, and she did not inherit her leadership role. In the early 1930s, a group of traditional tribal members organized a reform movement. They created a new constitution and changed the Tribal Advisory Council. Minnie first served as an advisor in 1933. Later, she was elected to a special group of respected elders.
Fighting for Tribal Rights
In 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act was introduced. This law aimed to help tribes govern themselves. However, the Prairie Potawatomi rejected it. They wanted their land back, but they did not want a government system forced on them.
One reason they objected was the idea of strict written laws. Their traditional ways allowed for more flexibility and agreement among people. They also did not like that the Secretary of the Interior had to approve all tribal decisions.
From the 1940s to the 1960s, the government enforced the Indian termination policy. This policy aimed to end federal support and services for tribes. The Kansas Act of 1940 was one of the first laws of this period. It gave the State of Kansas power over crimes involving Native Americans. The Potawatomi tribe did not support this law.
Stopping Termination Plans
On August 1, 1953, the US Congress passed a resolution to end federal ties with several tribes. This included the Potawatomi. Termination meant tribes would lose all federal aid, services, and protection. It also meant the end of reservations.
The government planned to terminate four tribes in Kansas. Minnie Evans led the fight against this plan. She held meetings at her home to plan strategies. Tribal members raised money by selling goods to send their leaders to Congress. They also sent many petitions to the government.
In February 1954, Minnie Evans, along with other tribal leaders, spoke to Congress in Washington, D.C. Their efforts helped the Kansas tribes avoid termination.
Seeking Justice for Land Claims
On August 13, 1946, the Indian Claims Commission Act was passed. This law aimed to settle old disagreements tribes had with the U.S. government. These included broken treaties or unfair land deals. Tribes had five years to file their claims.
In 1946, the Potawatomi created a Tribal Council Claims Committee. Minnie Evans became the chair of this committee. This process actually helped many Native Americans reconnect with their tribal identity. On September 16, 1947, Minnie was elected as the tribal chairwoman.
Minnie suggested hiring a law firm to help with their claims. The tribe believed ten treaties had not been honored. They filed 19 cases for treaty violations and unfair land values. Some cases involved only the Prairie Band, while others included many Potawatomi groups.
In 1956, the Prairie Band of Potawatomi and the Citizen Potawatomi Nation were awarded $3.2 million. The claims process was long and complicated. It took nearly 32 years to settle many of the claims.
As money from the claims started to be awarded, disagreements grew within the tribe. Minnie believed that tribal unity was very important. She worked hard to understand the complex legal issues. She attended many hearings and meetings. She refused to give up if she felt it would harm the tribe.
In the early 1960s, a new tribal constitution was drafted. For a short time, there were two tribal business committees and two tribal rolls. Minnie's group believed that only those with a certain amount of Potawatomi heritage should be tribal members. They also thought only those living on the reservation should vote. Other tribal members wanted all who had received land allotments to be members, no matter where they lived.
Minnie and other traditionalists filed lawsuits to protect their views. However, the courts ruled that the tribal council had the power to decide who would share in the settlement money. With the loss of these lawsuits, Minnie was no longer as active in tribal politics. When the claims she fought so hard for were finally paid out, she was no longer part of the tribal leadership.
Minnie's Family Life
Minnie's first husband was Jesse S. Kakaque, a Sac native. They married around 1909. They later divorced by 1918. On January 17, 1919, Minnie married William F. Evans. He was a member of the Citizen Potawatomi Nation from Oklahoma.
Minnie had three children: Emory Roy Kakaque, Lyman Francis Evans, and Bernice Ann Laferniar Cartwright.
Minnie Evans passed away on October 21, 1971, near Mayetta, Kansas. She was buried in the Wishkeno Cemetery.
Images for kids
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Minnie Wishkeno KaKaQue circa 1915
