Nipo T. Strongheart facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Nipo T. Strongheart
Nee-Ha-Pouw Chtu-Tum-Nah
Nipo T. Strongheart as he appeared in The New York Times in 1917
Born	George Mitchell Jr. (1891-05-15)May 15, 1891 White Swan, Washington
Died	December 31, 1966(1966-12-31) (aged 75) Motion Picture Country Hospital, Los Angeles, California
Resting place	Smohalla Cemetery, Yakama Nation, Washington
Nationality	American
Known for	Native American activism, Lyceum and Chautauqua performance-lectures, and technical advisor for films with Native American themes
Notable work	Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 Braveheart Pony Soldier

Nipo T. Strongheart (May 15, 1891 – December 31, 1966) was an important Native American leader. He was a speaker, a performer, and an advisor for Hollywood movies. Throughout his life, he worked hard to support Native American rights and cultures. He also spoke about spiritual topics and later became a member of the Baháʼí Faith.

Strongheart's mother was from the Yakama Nation, and his father was European American. He spent some of his childhood with his father. Later, he was adopted by a Yakama woman and raised on the reservation. As a young man, he performed with his father in Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show.

In 1917, Strongheart began giving public talks. He worked for the YMCA and toured military camps. He shared Native American culture and encouraged men to join the military. After World War I, he briefly returned to the Yakama Indian Reservation.

He then became a popular speaker on the Lyceum and Chautauqua circuits. These were like traveling fairs where people gave educational talks. Strongheart spoke about Native American culture and the problems faced by people on reservations. He played a big part in creating the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924. This law gave all Native Americans who didn't already have it the right to be U.S. citizens. Strongheart believed this law would help Native American cultures thrive.

As the popularity of live lectures changed, Strongheart started working in the film industry. He helped with many silent films and later with "talkies" (movies with sound). He worked on films like Braveheart and Pony Soldier.

Strongheart also helped start groups that supported Native Americans. These included the Los Angeles Indian Center and the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). In his film work, he tried to correct wrong ideas about Native Americans. He helped translate scripts into Native languages and advised on costumes and props.

When Strongheart passed away, he left money and materials for the Yakama Nation. This helped them build the Yakama Cultural Center, which includes a library and museum. In 2014, the Yakama Nation created a special exhibit about Strongheart.

Life Story of Nipo T. Strongheart

Nipo T. Strongheart was born George Mitchell, Jr. on May 15, 1891. His mother, Chi-Nach-Lut Schu-Wah-Elks, was from the Yakama Nation. His father was George Mitchell. Strongheart's mother passed away when he was young.

Some stories say he lived with his father away from the reservation. Other accounts say he was adopted by a Yakama relative. He then lived on the reservation and attended a boarding school there.

Strongheart and his father performed as bareback trick riders. They were part of famous traveling shows like Buffalo Bill's Wild West Show. These shows often included entire families, who lived in camps similar to traditional Native American villages. This helped them keep their culture alive.

Strongheart gained the name "Nipo" during a show. It means "he lives!" or "live!" He added it to his Yakama name, Chtu-Tum-Nah, which he translated as "Strongheart."

Later in his life, Strongheart chose to leave the reservation to pursue his career. He believed this would allow him to advocate for Native American rights more broadly.

In the 1930s, Strongheart worked to document his Yakama family history. He also became an honorary member of the Yakama tribe.

Strongheart wrote in 1954 that he began studying Native American history around 1905. He also said he attended the Carlisle Indian Industrial School. He claimed to have worked on an early silent film called The White Chief. Because he spoke English and some Native languages, he helped connect the film crew with the Native children in the movie.

Around 1910, Strongheart served in the 5th Cavalry Regiment in Oklahoma. He also continued to perform in the Buffalo Bill and Pawnee Bill shows. In 1914, he was reportedly wounded while serving in the military, which ended his service.

Strongheart said he advised on the silent film Heart of Wetona (1919). He also played a role in it and spoke on stage about the true story behind the film. In 1916, Strongheart joined the Society of American Indians. This group worked to improve health, education, and civil rights for Native Americans.

Strongheart's Work with the YMCA

In May 1917, Strongheart tried to volunteer for military service in World War I. He was known as a skilled rider and sharpshooter. However, he was reportedly not allowed to serve further because of his past injury.

Instead, Strongheart worked for the YMCA War Work Council. This group supported the war effort. He traveled across the eastern United States, giving talks to encourage people to join the military. He also spoke about the unfairness of foreigners easily becoming citizens, while Native Americans, whose families had lived on the continent for thousands of years, did not have the same rights.

During this time, he was called "Chief Strongheart." He toured over 200 military camps. Newspapers reported on his events, including one where he talked about how Native Americans "invented" camouflage. He returned to Yakama in February 1919. Around 1920, he married Inez Wiley, whose father was a chief of the Calusa nation.

Strongheart's Traveling Lectures

In 1921, Strongheart started a long series of lectures and performances. These were part of the Lyceum and Chautauqua fairs across the United States. These events were popular ways for people to learn and discuss important topics.

Strongheart's talks focused on Native American culture and history. He spoke about the "nobility, patience, and traditions of his people." He also talked about the problems Native Americans faced on reservations. Some of his programs included "From Peace Pipe to War Trail and Back Again" and "My People the Yakima." Each talk lasted one to two hours.

He traveled to many states, including Pennsylvania, Ohio, and Indiana. He also visited the Yakima reservation in Washington. Sometimes, he wore traditional Native clothing for his performances. Other times, he dressed in regular clothes.

Strongheart's efforts, including petitions and advocacy, helped lead to the Indian Citizenship Act being passed in 1924. He continued to tour, promoting his cause and speaking about Native American rights.

In 1925, Strongheart became involved in a film project by Cecil B. DeMille. The movie was first called Strongheart. Strongheart was asked to be a technical advisor. He helped include details about the Yakama nation and showed the hero fighting for Indian fishing rights. The film was later renamed Braveheart (1925). Strongheart also had a role in the movie as a medicine man.

Strongheart continued his tours in 1926 and 1927. He campaigned for changes to the Citizenship Bill of 1924, as he felt it didn't give Native Americans full citizenship rights. He gave talks in high schools and theaters, bringing more attention to the struggles of Native Americans.

In 1928, Strongheart's talks received great reviews. One reviewer said he spoke for two and a half hours, and the audience was completely focused. People even wanted to speak to him afterward to compliment his work. He continued his tours into 1929, speaking in many states and helping to correct stereotypes about Native Americans.

Strongheart's Time in Los Angeles

In the 1930s, during the Great Depression, fewer people attended lectures. Strongheart became more active in the Greater Los Angeles Area. He gave fewer public talks but continued his advocacy in other ways.

In October 1930, he joined the Izaak Walton League in Los Angeles. He spoke about protecting wild animals. He shared how Native Americans felt about the "wasteful destruction of animals" by others.

Strongheart was married to Marion Campbell Winton for a few years in the early 1930s. In 1931, he and his wife gave a joint lecture. He also tried to get a police badge in Los Angeles to help manage jobs for Native Americans in film. In 1932, he helped create an exhibition about Native Americans for the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles. He also gave a presentation on "Design and Color in the Art of the American Indian" at the Los Angeles Public Library.

In 1936, Strongheart helped start the Los Angeles Indian Center. This center became a very important place for Native Americans in the city. He also gained recognition for his consulting work in Hollywood. He helped Dan L. McGrath with a biography of Chief Joseph. Strongheart also ran a casting agency for Native Americans in Hollywood.

Strongheart's Work in Hollywood Films

Strongheart became more involved in the Hollywood film industry. In 1946, he helped hire 100 Native Americans for the premiere of the movie Canyon Passage.

In 1947, he was credited for his work on Black Gold and Oregon Trail Scouts. He hired Native American actors, translated scripts into Native languages, and coached non-Native actors. He also shared his thoughts on Hollywood's beauty standards and women's roles in 1949. In 1950, he worked on The Outriders and appeared as an actor in Young Daniel Boone, also serving as a technical advisor.

In 1951, Strongheart worked on The Painted Hills, helping with the Miwok. For Across the Wide Missouri, he translated the script and coached actors. He also worked on Westward the Women and Lone Star. In the 1952 movie Pony Soldier, he worked with the Cree people and their language. He made many suggestions that improved the script. After Pony Soldier, he worked on films like Captain John Smith and Pocahontas and Rose Marie.

Strongheart's Later Years

In his final years, Strongheart taught Native American arts and crafts. He taught at the University of Southern California and the University of Alaska.

Strongheart's Spiritual Beliefs

Throughout his career, Strongheart spoke at many churches and temples. He often connected Native American beliefs in the Great Spirit with Christian ideas. In 1918, he explained the use of the calumet (peace pipe). He said the smoke from the pipe brought tribes together, and they learned to be "united" as "children of one father."

In 1921, he said that the "Great Spirit" and "Jesus Christ" were different names for the same God. He believed God looked upon all His children.

Strongheart first learned about the Baháʼí Faith in 1932 at a meeting in Los Angeles. In 1963, he attended a gathering of Native American Baháʼís. He spoke about the idea of the unity of religions. He shared a teaching from his father: "The birds sing different songs, but they fly in the same sky; the trees have different bark and bear different fruit, but all grow from Mother Earth." This showed his belief in brotherhood among all people.

In 1965, Strongheart took part in a United Nations Association event. He performed the Lord's Prayer using Plains Indian Sign Language. In 1969, the first Yakama Baháʼí community was formed on the reservation.

Strongheart's Impact

Strongheart's Death and Legacy

Nipo T. Strongheart passed away in December 1966. He was buried in a Yakama ceremony at Smohalla Cemetery on the reservation. He wanted to be buried near Kate Williams, a relative who may have cared for him as a baby.

His will included money and materials for a Yakama library and museum. The rest of his estate went mostly to his son, Daniel F. Strongheart. Newspapers like the LA Times published obituaries, calling him a "Colorful Yakima Indian" and a "Lecturer, Actor and Adviser."

The main effort to build the Yakama Cultural Center began in 1970. Construction started in 1978, and the Cultural Center opened in 1980. The museum followed in 1982. Strongheart's adopted relative, Leonard Tomaskin, was chairman of the Yakama Nation's government during this time.

Strongheart's donation included about 7,000 reference books and many other items he collected. Some items were stolen later but were mostly recovered. One special basket, believed to have been collected by the Lewis and Clark expedition, was returned to the museum in 2011.

Since 2005, Strongheart has been mentioned in many books and papers about Native Americans in Hollywood. A restored version of his 1925 film Braveheart was shown at a Yakama Nation Native American Film Festival. In 2014, a permanent exhibit about Strongheart's life and work was created at the Yakama Cultural Center.

Strongheart's Advocacy for Native Americans

Advocacy Through Talks

Strongheart often used his talks to criticize government policies and officials. This sometimes caused problems with the Indian Office, but he continued his work. He collected thousands of signatures for petitions supporting Native American rights. These efforts helped pass the Indian Citizenship Act in 1924. He also pushed for the end of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' control over Native American lives.

In 1918, Strongheart spoke about Native American contributions to World War I. He said that 10,000 out of 100,000 Native Americans had volunteered for service. He also mentioned that Native Americans had bought millions of dollars in Liberty Loans to support the war. He pointed out that Native Americans had used camouflage long before it was "invented" by others.

In Rhode Island, he spoke about the Newport Tower mystery. He said that Native Americans had always believed in education and civilization. He suggested the tower might have been a temple, similar to other Native American structures.

In 1919, a newspaper reported that Strongheart "pleaded... for the freedom of his people and advocated the right of citizenship for them." He criticized how white people had treated Native Americans. He also spoke about allowing his people to leave reservations and praised their war record.

In 1921, Strongheart "revealed many appalling facts regarding the present day treatment of Indians." After his lecture, many people signed a petition asking Congress to give Native Americans the right to vote. He wanted to create a better understanding between white people and Native Americans.

Another report said Strongheart criticized white education. He felt it took away a child's individuality and taught too many subjects without enough depth. He said Native Americans learned from infancy and were stricter about morals. He also pointed out that Native Americans only killed for food, unlike others who killed for fun. He explained how reservations led to poor health for Native Americans, partly due to canned food. He also spoke about injustices like cutting off irrigation water. He argued that sending children away to boarding schools was harmful. Strongheart said, "If we are good enough to fight for you, we have a right to be free. We ask for franchise and release from the reservations." Many people signed petitions after his talks.

In 1922, Strongheart wrote about the struggles of Native Americans. He described an elderly Native American woman selling baskets on the sidewalk, being laughed at by passers-by. He also shared the story of an old man who was hungry and said, "Uncle Sam promised me grub and bed, but I sleep in the dust and I am always hungry."

In 1926, Strongheart spoke at a high school. He described how Native Americans were forced westward and confined to reservations. He said their business and legal matters were handled by agents who often took advantage of them. He claimed conditions on reservations were no better than in 1855, with limited education. He worried that young Native Americans were taught to feel inferior, losing their chance for success in both cultures. He argued that if Native Americans were willing to fight for the country, they should have the same advantages as everyone else.

In 1927, Strongheart made an "eloquent appeal" for Native Americans to have the same opportunities in life as white people. He spoke with humor and sometimes sarcasm about "Caucasian follies."

In 1928, he urged support for a bill to help the Coushatta people living in a swamp in Texas. He also shared his views on Native culture. He explained that Native American children were taught self-reliance and respect for women from a young age. He said that Native American children took their mother's name, and that men had to earn three feathers (for patience, courage, and bravery) before marriage. He believed this protected women and prevented divorce. He continued to argue that Native Americans should be allowed to learn by responsibility, even if they made mistakes, rather than being controlled by the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Advocacy Through Hollywood

Strongheart used his work in Hollywood to fight against stereotypes and racism in early American film. He often had small roles in films, but his work behind the scenes was very important. He used his position to push for change. He hosted Native American students and worked as a translator, language coach, and casting agent. He even suggested adding specific characters to films.

For example, in the 1925 remake of Braveheart, he helped include Native Americans who were not dressed in traditional clothing. He also helped show how wrongs done to them could be corrected. In the film, a judge's decision upheld Native American fishing rights based on a treaty.

Later in his career, Strongheart reviewed the script for Pony Soldier. He wrote a critical review, which led to a meeting with studio executives. This resulted in major changes to the film, making it more accurate and respectful.

Advocacy Through Organizations

Strongheart visited many reservations, learning about different nations. He then reported on the conditions to the Society of American Indians. He investigated land grabs against the Paiutes and supported unrecognized tribes like the Calusa and Pitt River peoples.

In 1936, Strongheart co-founded the Los Angeles Indian Center. This center became a very important place for Native Americans living in the city. It helped form many other service organizations.

Strongheart also helped found the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) in 1944. This organization was created to fight against government policies that tried to end tribal governments. The NCAI continues to be an important group for federally and state-recognized American Indian tribes today.

Images for kids

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  Nipo T. Strongheart as he appeared in The New York Times in 1917