W. W. Keeler facts for kids

William Wayne Keeler (1908–1987) was an important leader for the Cherokee Nation in the 20th century. He was the last chief to be chosen by the U.S. President and the first to be elected by the Cherokee people.

Bill Keeler was trained as a chemical engineer. He worked for the Phillips Petroleum Company for many years, eventually becoming its chief executive officer (CEO). He was also one-sixteenth Cherokee. Throughout his life, he worked hard to help Native American people.

In 1949, President Truman chose him to be the Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. He also led the executive committee for the Texas Cherokees and Associate Bands for many years. In 1971, he became the first elected Cherokee chief since 1903.

Keeler helped create new organizations for the tribe, like the Cherokee Nation Builders Corporation. He also started a national newspaper for the Cherokee people. He helped get $14 million from the U.S. government for a land dispute. In 1975, he led the effort to write a new constitution for the Cherokee Nation.

Bill Keeler's Early Life and Education

Bill Keeler's grandfathers were white men who settled in Cherokee territory. They married Cherokee women. Both grandfathers were important in starting the town of Bartlesville, Oklahoma. One grandfather owned a sawmill, and the other helped drill the first oil well in Oklahoma.

Bill's parents, William and Sarah Louisa Carr, were both of Cherokee descent. Bill was born in Dalhart, Texas in 1908. He was the fourth child, but only he and his sister, Blanche, lived to be adults. Bill went to public schools in Bartlesville.

When he was young, Bill lived with his grandmother because his mother was often sick. His grandmother taught him about "Indian ways" and Cherokee values. Later, his mother returned and tried to teach him "white man principles." These different influences shaped his early life.

Bill started working part-time for Phillips Petroleum when he was 16. He continued working there during his summers while in college. In 1930, he graduated from the University of Kansas with a degree in chemical engineering.

His Career at Phillips Petroleum Company

Even before graduating, Bill accepted a full-time engineering job at Phillips' refinery in Kansas City, Kansas. There, he met Ruby Lucille Hamilton, a nurse. They married in Kansas City in 1933. Their first two sons were born there.

In 1939, Bill moved to Phillips' refinery in Borger, Texas as chief chemist. The family moved back to Bartlesville in 1941, where their youngest son was born. During World War II, he managed the building of a new Phillips refinery in Mexico. After the war, he became the manager of Phillips' refining department in Bartlesville.

Bill Keeler's success at Phillips Petroleum was a big achievement for Native Americans at that time. He rose through the ranks of a major company. In 1968, he became the CEO of Phillips Petroleum. He retired in 1973 because he reached the company's mandatory retirement age. His success caught the attention of the U.S. government.

His Work with the U.S. Government

In 1948, Bill Keeler became the vice chairman of the Cherokee tribe's executive committee. After the previous chief died, both the Cherokee National Council and Oklahoma leaders suggested to President Truman that Keeler be appointed Chief.

President Truman appointed Keeler as Principal Chief in 1949. He stayed in this position until 1975. Presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon all reappointed him.

From 1945 to 1972, he also led the Executive Committee of the Texas Cherokees and Associate Bands. He helped bring an important treaty from 1836 before the Indian Claims Commission.

Under President Johnson, Keeler was part of the National Advisory Committee for the War on Poverty Program. He also served on the President's Committee on Economic Opportunity. The Governor of Alaska, Walter Hickel, asked Keeler to lead a group to find ways to help Native Alaskans find jobs. Also, the Secretary of the Interior, Stewart Udall, asked Keeler to lead a group to reorganize the Bureau of Indian Affairs.

Leading the Cherokee Nation

Many people believe Keeler was one of the most important leaders for the Cherokee Nation. He promoted building new things within Cherokee land while he was chief. He focused on conservative changes and equality, rather than radical changes.

He strongly supported education and welfare for his people. He believed that "Indians should not be entitled to more rights than anybody else, but they should still have all the rights of everyone else." He also said that "Indians cannot win friends by force."

In 1971, Keeler was democratically elected as Chief of the Cherokee Nation. This was the first time the chief had been elected by the people since 1903. Ross Swimmer, who became chief after Keeler, said that Keeler "was the Cherokee tribe. He was the one who established the tribe and he did a lot of it with his own money and energy."

Keeler helped build many important things for the Cherokee Nation. The Nation gained several office buildings, including the Tribal Business Office. He also created businesses to help the economy. These included a garment manufacturing company with Cherokee employees and the Cherokee Nation Builders Corporation, which had Cherokee construction crews. He also started training programs for new industries and for women at home.

He established a national Cherokee newspaper. He also oversaw the Tribal Housing Authority, which provided affordable homes for Cherokees. Keeler helped create the Cherokee Foundation. Through legal work, he helped the Cherokee Nation get $14,789,000 from the U.S. government because of a land dispute. In his final year as chief, 1975, he also led the writing of a new Cherokee constitution.

Death and His Legacy

Bill Keeler was honored for his achievements. He was inducted into the Oklahoma Hall of Fame in 1966.

He passed away in Bartlesville, Oklahoma, on August 24, 1987. He had been in poor health for four years.

The W. W. Keeler Complex in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, is named in his honor. This building is where the Cherokee tribal government is located today.

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