Simon Pokagon facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Simon Pokagon
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| Born | 1830 Near Bertrand, Michigan Territory
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| Died | January 28, 1899 (aged 68) |
| Occupation | Author and advocate |
Simon Pokagon (around 1830 – January 28, 1899) was an important leader. He was a member of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians. He was also an author and a strong supporter of Native American rights. Simon was born near Bertrand, Michigan in what was then Michigan Territory. He passed away in Hartford, Michigan. People sometimes called him the "Red Man's Longfellow" because of his writing. The news often called him the "Hereditary and Last Chief" of his tribe. He was the son of Leopold Pokagon, a respected leader of his people.
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Simon Pokagon's Life
Simon Pokagon was born to Potawatomi chief Leopold Pokagon and his wife.
He said he went to the University of Notre Dame and Oberlin College. However, records do not show he officially attended these schools. He likely learned from the Sisters of St. Mary's Academy near Notre Dame. He also probably studied at the Twinsburg (Ohio) Institute. Some experts question if he truly spoke four "classic" European languages fluently.
His Work and Advocacy
Pokagon wrote several books and many shorter pieces. He is known as one of the important Native American authors of the 1800s. Some people think his writings might have been edited a lot. This is still a topic of discussion among scholars.
Simon Pokagon was a special speaker at the 1893 World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago. Even though some people in his tribe were not always happy with him, he was popular. He was always welcome among the wealthy people of Chicago's Gold Coast. He was also popular with literary groups on the East Coast.
He was an early activist who worked hard for his people. He tried to make the United States government pay money it owed from treaties. He also pushed for fair treatment of all Native American peoples. Pokagon met with President Abraham Lincoln two times. He asked for payment for land taken in the 1833 Treaty of Chicago. He also met with President Ulysses S. Grant. This meeting was to thank Potawatomi volunteers who helped in the Civil War. In the 1890s, Pokagon started to claim land rights for the Chicago lakefront. He was a complex person. He sometimes sold parts of his Chicago land claim to land buyers. This made some people in the Pokagon community upset.
In many of his writings, Pokagon wrote about the past. He also wrote about traditional ways of life. He worried about a "vanishing" race of Indians. But the Pokagon Potawatomi were not disappearing. They had a Business Committee, which was a traditional tribal council. This council was chosen by the people and made decisions together. It worked to protect the rights of tribal members. Most tribal members worked in local factories and farms. They also stayed connected to the Catholic Church. Historian Susan Sleeper-Smith noted that the Pokagon Potawatomi held onto their traditions strongly. They kept their sense of community.
In a publication first called Red Man's Rebuke, then Red Man's Greeting, Pokagon wrote:
On behalf of my people, the American Indians, I hereby declare to you, the pale-faced race that has usurped our lands and homes, that we have no spirit to celebrate with you the great Columbian Fair now being held in this Chicago city, the wonder of the world. No; sooner would we hold the high joy day over the graves of our departed than to celebrate our own funeral, the discovery of America. And while...your hearts in admiration rejoice over the beauty and grandeur of this young republic and you say, 'behold the wonders wrought by our children in this foreign land,' do not forget that this success has been at the sacrifice of our homes and a once happy race.
Pokagon wrote a lot of books. These included The Red Man's Rebuke (1893) and The Red Man's Greeting (1893). He also wrote O-gi-maw-kwe Mit-i-gwa-ki, Queen of the Woods (1899). This book was about his wife, Lodinaw. People have studied his role as a Native American thinker and leader. He was also an author, speaker, and supporter of healthy living. Some information about his life has mistakes. For example, the Handbook of American Indians North of Mexico has some errors.
Pokagon's writings showed his pride in being Native American. They also showed the challenges many Native Americans faced. Queen of the Woods showed a positive image of what it means to be Native American. It also shared some unique challenges faced by native groups. His work helped Native American voices be heard and understood in white society.
Pokagon was not the last chief of the Potawatomi. The Pokagon people have had chiefs since he passed away. Leadership in Potawatomi communities is not passed down through families. For a time, he led the Business Committee of the Pokagon Band. But his political standing changed, and he was replaced. He became a well-known early Native American figure.
At the World's Columbian Exposition
On October 9, 1893, Pokagon was a main speaker at the World's Columbian Exposition. He gave the mayor of Chicago a copy of a land deed for Chicago. It was wrapped in birchbark. He also helped judge a lacrosse game. This game featured Iroquois and Potawatomi athletes. He wore a suit but also a feathered cap. This showed his Potawatomi identity.
He gave a speech to about 75,000 people. He spoke about the problems caused by alcohol for his people. He also said his people needed to become U.S. citizens. He believed they should learn the trades of white men. This would help them compete in society. Another part of his speech was printed in the Chicago Tribune. It showed his hope for his tribe's future:
I shall cherish as long as I live the cheering words that have been spoken to me here by the ladies, friends of my race; it has strengthened and encouraged me; I have greater faith in the success of the remaining few of my people than ever before. I now realize the hand of the Great Spirit is open in our behalf; already he has thrown his great search light upon the vault of heaven, and Christian men and women are reading there in characters of fire well understood; ‘The red man is your brother, and God is the father of all.'
The day ended with Pokagon appearing on the "History of Chicago" float. He was next to a copy of a statue of Black Partridge.
Legacy and Honors
- A monument for both Simon and his father Leopold Pokagon was planned for Chicago's Jackson Park. However, it was never built.
- Pokagon State Park in northern Indiana is named after both of them.
See also
