National Hall of Fame for Famous American Indians facts for kids

The National Hall of Fame for Famous American Indians is also known as the American Indian Hall of Fame. It was started in 1952 in Anadarko, Oklahoma. This was the first Hall of Fame in the US created to honor Native Americans.

It is part of a larger area that shows what American Indian life is like. The Hall of Fame has 41 bronze statues, called busts, displayed outside. These busts honor Native Americans from many different tribes. They celebrate their important contributions to American history. You can visit for free, and volunteers help run the Hall of Fame.

In 1960, Logan Billingsley, who helped start the Hall of Fame in 1952, said something important. He felt it was time to stop painting strange pictures of Native Americans in school history books. He believed historians should write more truth about them. He also wanted them to give more credit to the great Native Americans.

Near the Hall of Fame in Anadarko, you can also find the Southern Plains Indian Museum. This museum shows amazing art and crafts. These pieces are made by artists from local Plains tribes. It also features art from other American Indians. These groups moved to what is now Oklahoma in the 1800s. Some of these tribes include the Delaware, Caddo, and Southeastern Woodlands tribes. The museum opened in 1947. It often has new art shows and sells artwork.

Honoring Great Native Americans

The National Hall of Fame honors many different Native Americans. Some were famous across the country and never lived in Oklahoma. Others were connected to Oklahoma during their lives.

Here are some of the important people honored in the Hall:

• Sequoyah (Cherokee), who created a writing system for the Cherokee language.
• Charles Curtis (Kaw/Osage/Potawatomi), a politician who became the Vice-President of the United States.
• Jim Thorpe (Sac and Fox), a famous athlete and Olympic gold-medal winner.
• Allie Reynolds (Creek), a baseball player who won the World Series six times.

The Hall also honors brave war chiefs from past conflicts:

• Pontiac (Odawa)
• Black Hawk (Sauk)
• Sitting Bull (Hunkpapa Lakota)
• Tecumseh (Shawnee)
• Cochise (Chiricahua Apache)
• Geronimo (Chiricahua Apache)
• Chief Joseph (Nez Perce)

You can also see busts of Stand Watie and John Ross. They were both Cherokee chiefs. They took different sides during the American Civil War. Stand Watie fought for the Confederate side. John Ross supported the Union side. Another military hero honored is Maj. Gen. Clarence L. Tinker (Osage). He was the highest-ranking army officer with Native American heritage.

Four amazing women from different time periods are also honored:

• Pocahontas, also known as Matoaka (Pamunkey). She was an ally of the Jamestown settlers. She also married John Rolfe.
• Sacajawea (Lemhi Shoshone). She was an interpreter and guide for the Lewis and Clark Expedition.
• Roberta Lawson (Delaware). She was a leader of women's clubs and educational groups. She was also president of the General Federation of Women's Clubs, which had two million members.
• Alice Brown Davis (Seminole). She was the first woman elected as the Principal Chief of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma.

See also

• National Native American Hall of Fame
• National American Indian Heritage Month
• Native American Day
• List of Native American firsts