Owanah Anderson facts for kids

Owanah P. Anderson (born February 18, 1926 – died March 24, 2017) was a proud Choctaw writer and a strong supporter of Native American rights. She wrote several books, including Jamestown Commitment and 400 Years. Owanah was best known for her work with the Episcopal Church's Native American programs. She also worked hard to make life better for Indigenous people, especially women. Throughout her career, Anderson focused on helping women get better healthcare, education, and job chances.

Early Life and Education

Owanah Patricia Anderson was born on February 18, 1926. Her parents were Samantha (Jones) and John Boyt Pickens. She grew up in Choctaw County, Oklahoma. Owanah had one brother, Lon Michael Pickens.

She went to high school in Boswell, Oklahoma. Owanah was the top student in her graduating class. Later, she earned a degree in journalism from the University of Oklahoma in Norman, Oklahoma. She received a special scholarship to help pay for her studies.

Helping Indigenous Women

Owanah Anderson was a leader who worked to improve the lives of Native American women.

National Women's Conference

In 1977, Anderson helped organize the 1977 National Women's Conference in Houston, Texas. She was a co-leader for the Texas meeting that happened before the main conference. Because of the efforts of many women, the National Women's Agenda was approved. This plan asked for action against violence and supported the rights of women of color. It also pushed for the Equal Rights Amendment.

Health and Education

After the 1977 conference, Anderson worked to raise awareness about issues facing Native American women. She focused on their access to healthcare and education. For about three years, until 1980, she served on a special committee for the Department of Health, Education, and Welfare. From 1978 to 1981, Anderson also advised President Jimmy Carter on women's issues.

Ohoyo Resource Center

In 1979, Owanah Anderson started and led the Ohoyo Resource Center. This center was created for the U.S. Department of Education. Its goal was to help women connect with each other and grow in their careers. Ohoyo is a Choctaw word that means "woman."

Anderson also helped write a guide called Ohoyo One Thousand: Resource Guide of American Indian and Alaska Native Women. This guide helped Indigenous women stay connected even after the center closed in 1983. Later, while working with the Association on American Indian Affairs, she also led the National Women's Development Program.

Work with the Episcopal Church

In 1983, Anderson moved to New York. She became the chairperson of the National Committee on Indian Affairs for the Episcopal Church. In this role, she managed a large yearly budget of $1.5 million. This money helped fund Episcopal missions in Native American communities. She worked in this position until she retired in 1998.

Anderson also helped create the Anglican Indigenous People's Network of the Pacific Rim. This network brought together different groups of Indigenous people from many countries around the Pacific Ocean. These included places like Hawaii, Australia, and New Zealand. The network helped them connect, learn from each other, and share their cultures.

Supporting Indigenous Rights

Owanah Anderson was a strong voice for Indigenous people's rights.

In 1980, she was the only Native American representative at the Commission on Security and Cooperation in Europe meeting in Madrid, Spain.

From 1985 to 2000, Anderson was an active member of the Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA). This group works to protect the rights and well-being of Native American and Alaska Native people. She spent fifteen years with this organization, serving on its board of directors for most of that time. In the late 1980s, she also joined HONOR, a group that works to make sure the U.S. government respects tribal treaties.

Books and Publications

Owanah Anderson wrote and edited several important books and guides.

• In 1980, she helped create the Resource Guide of American Indian and Alaska Native Women. This guide was published in 1981. It listed over 600 important Native American and Alaska Native women from more than 150 tribes. It included their names, tribal connections, contact information, jobs, and interests. This made it a great tool for networking. In 1982, an updated version was released as Ohoyo One Thousand: Resource Guide of American Indian and Alaska Native Women. This expanded edition listed over 1,000 women from 231 tribes.
• In 1988, Anderson published Jamestown Commitment: The Episcopal Church and the American Indian. This book explored the early missions of the Episcopal Church when European colonists first met Native American communities. It highlighted how tribal leaders sometimes asked missionaries to teach them about Christianity and English.
• In 1992, she wrote 100 Years: Good Shepherd Mission in the Navajo Nation 1892-1992. This book focused on the Episcopal Church's missionary work specifically with the Navajo Nation.
• Her book 400 Years: Anglican/Episcopal Mission Among American Indians was published in 1997. It expanded on the ideas from her earlier book, Jamestown Commitment.

Awards and Special Honors

Owanah Anderson received many awards for her important work:

• In 1981, she won the Anne Roe Award for public service from the Harvard University Graduate School of Education.
• In 1984, she became a member of the North Texas Women's Hall of Fame.
• In 1987, the National Coalition of Women of Color honored her.
• In 1989, she received an honorary doctorate degree from Seabury-Western Theological Seminary in Evanston, Illinois.
• In 2014, the Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA) created a scholarship named after her.

Scholarship in Her Name

To honor Owanah Anderson's strong leadership and 15 years of dedication to the Association on American Indian Affairs (AAIA), the organization created an annual scholarship in her name. This scholarship helps Indigenous women who are enrolled members of tribes in the United States or Alaska. It provides money for them to attend college or university full-time. To qualify, students need a GPA of at least 2.5 out of 4.0 and must be enrolled in a tribe. The first Owanah P. Anderson scholarship was given out for the 2014-2015 school year.

Personal Life

After high school, Owanah Anderson married her first husband and had a son named Steven Shelton. She raised Steven on her own after her divorce. Later, she met Henry Anderson, a lawyer in Wichita Falls, Texas. She helped raise his children. Henry Anderson passed away in 1983. After his death, Owanah Anderson moved to New York for her work with the Episcopal Church.

Death

Owanah Anderson passed away on March 24, 2017, in Wichita Falls, Texas. She was 91 years old and had been in declining health for about ten years. Her son, Steven Shelton, and others were with her during her final moments. She was buried at All Saints' Church in Wichita Falls. Owanah is remembered by her son, two grandsons, three great-grandchildren, two stepdaughters, a stepson, a sister-in-law, and many step-grandchildren, all of whom she loved very much.