Truman Washington Dailey facts for kids

Truman Washington Dailey (October 19, 1898 – December 16, 1996) was an important leader of the Otoe-Missouria Tribe. He was also known by his Native American names, Mashi Manyi ("Soaring High") and Sunge Hka ("White Horse"). Truman Dailey was the very last person to speak the Otoe-Missouria dialect of the Chiwere language fluently. Chiwere is a traditional Native American language.

Truman Dailey's Early Life

Truman Dailey was born on October 19, 1898. His birthplace was the Otoe-Missouria reservation in what was then called Oklahoma Territory. His father, George Washington Dailey, was part of the Eagle Clan of the Missouria people.

Growing Up with Traditions

George Washington Dailey belonged to a group within the Otoe-Missouria tribe known as the "Coyote Band." This group followed many old traditions. Because of this, Truman Dailey learned a lot about his people's history and stories from a young age.

Education and Family Life

Truman Dailey went to Oklahoma A&M College until 1922. While there, he played in the college band. He also joined a band club called Kappa Kappa Psi. In 1928, he married Lavina Koshiway. Her father, Jonathan Koshiway, helped start the Native American Church.

Becoming a Spiritual Leader

By 1938, Truman and Lavina Dailey were leading their own church services. Truman was known as a Road Man, which means he was a ceremonial leader. For the next ten years, he held important jobs in the Native American Church in Oklahoma. He also helped with the new Native American Church of the United States.

Truman Dailey's Later Life and Work

In the 1960s, Truman Dailey worked at Disneyland. He was the announcer for the American Indian shows there. Walt Disney himself hired him and let him use one of his Native American names, "Chief White Horse," for the show. During this time, he also appeared on The Steve Allen Show, a popular TV program.

Returning Home to Oklahoma

After living in California, Truman and Lavina returned to Oklahoma in 1970. Back home, he started teaching the Otoe-Missouria language in tribal classes. He later worked with the University of Missouri on a project. His job was to help record the Otoe-Missouria language. This was done so that the language would be saved for future generations.

Fighting for Native American Rights

Truman Dailey strongly supported the rights of Native Americans to practice their traditions. In 1974, he spoke in Washington, D.C., and Omaha, Nebraska. He talked about how important it was for Native Americans to use feathers and other natural items in their ceremonies. This was against a law called the Migratory Bird Law.

Speaking to the Government

In 1978, Dailey also spoke to the United States Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs. This led to a law called the American Indian Religious Freedom Act. President Carter signed this law. However, it did not fully protect all Native American religious practices.

Protecting Sacred Practices

So, in 1992, when he was 93 years old, Truman Dailey spoke to the Senate committee again. This time, he talked about the ceremonial use of peyote by the Native American Church. As a result, the law was changed. This change made it legal to use peyote for official Native American religious purposes.

Honors and Passing

The next year, the University of Missouri at Columbia gave him an honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degree. This was a big honor for his work. Lavina Koshiway Dailey had passed away in 1988. Truman Dailey died on December 16, 1996. He was buried next to his wife in the Otoe-Missouria Tribal Cemetery.