Priscilla Freeman Jacobs facts for kids

Priscilla Freeman Jacobs was an important leader, or chief, of the Waccamaw-Siouan tribe. She served as chief from 1986 to 2005. Priscilla worked hard to help her tribe. She focused on making education better and creating more jobs. She also helped bring back and celebrate their unique Native American culture and history.

Early Life and Family

Priscilla Freeman Jacobs was born in 1940. Her parents were Clifton Freeman and Vara Patrick. She was the oldest of four children. They grew up in the Ricefield area of the Waccamaw-Siouan community. This area is about 37 miles from Wilmington, North Carolina. Her family earned a living by working in logging and forestry.

When Priscilla was nine years old, she went to Washington, DC. She traveled with other Waccamaw-Siouan leaders. They asked the U.S. Congress to officially recognize their tribe. This means they wanted the government to agree that they were an Indian Tribe. However, the bill did not pass.

Her father, Clifton Freeman, became chief in 1941. Priscilla often went with him to meetings across the country. She learned about the problems her people faced. She watched him work to find jobs and improve things for the Waccamaw-Siouan tribe.

Education and Marriage

Priscilla went to American Indian schools in her community. These local schools taught reading, math, history, and respect for their heritage. After that, she studied secretarial work. She attended the Miller Mott Business College in Wilmington.

After graduating, she returned home. She worked for her father's logging business. In 1961, she married Welton Jacobs. He was also a member of the Waccamaw-Siouan tribe. They had two children, Ray Freeman and Welton Jacobs.

Leading the Tribe

In the 1960s, Priscilla and her father worked to bring back the powwow. A powwow is a special gathering of Native American people. It helps bring tribes together and celebrate their culture. In 1970, Priscilla led the group that organized the first modern Waccamaw-Siouan powwow. This was a big step for the tribe to regain its identity. The Indian schools had closed, so this helped unite them.

Priscilla said the powwow's purpose was:

"...to revive our Indian culture. This was a way of doing it - of letting people see... It was our intention to bring [Indian] people together for fellowship, to see what each other was doing, to share our arts and crafts with one another, [to share] the progress."

The Waccamaw-Siouan tribe has held their powwow every October since 1970.

Building a Community Center

In 1974, Priscilla got five acres of land. She received it from the International Paper Company. This land was used to create a center for tribal life. Today, that area has grown to thirty acres. It includes a daycare, offices, and a ball field. Owning this land helped the Waccamaw culture grow stronger. This was part of a larger movement in the 1960s and 1970s. Many Native American groups started celebrating their identity more.

Becoming Chief

Priscilla became chief of the Waccamaw-Siouan tribe in 1986. She was 45 years old. She took over after her father passed away in 1985. Her brothers were next in line to be chief. However, they chose to focus on the family's logging business.

Priscilla's inauguration as chief happened at Frontier Fort near Wilmington. She became the first female chief of the Waccamaw-Siouan tribe. She was also one of the few female chiefs in the entire country. Most of her tribal board members were family.

Activism and Faith

Priscilla's strong efforts helped create the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs. She was the first secretary of this commission's board. Later, she became a community developer. From 1971 to 1973, she represented the Waccamaw-Siouan tribe. She worked with her father at the Coalition for Eastern Native Americans.

She also took part in the N.C. Indian Unity Conference. She helped form the Waccamaw-Siouan Development Association (WSDA). This group works to improve education, economic development, and culture for the tribe.

Priscilla was not only a social and political leader. She was also a spiritual leader. She grew up in the Christian church. Her grandfather, Riley T. Freeman, was a bible school teacher. His influence stayed with her throughout her life. Before becoming chief, she was a minister, bookkeeper, and secretary. Her faith was deeply connected to her pride in her Native American heritage.

She stopped being chief in 2005.