Mankiller

November 1, 1993
Since 1985 Wilma Mankiller has been Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation, the first woman to hold this post in a major tribe. Her work in rural development, especially the Bell Project in Oklahoma, has received national acclaim. With Wallis ( Route 66 ), Mankiller recounts the tragic history of the Cherokees and her own personal struggles. In the 1950s, her family moved from rural Oklahoma to San Francisco in a government relocation project. It was a traumatic change for the 11-year-old and her 10 brothers and sisters and brought her face-to-face with racism and poverty. The 1969 Indian occupation of Alcatraz, which she supported strongly and participated in to a slight degree, proved a turning point in Mankiller's life. She became an activist in Indian affairs, eventually leaving her husband and returning with her two daughters to her old home. Surviving a debilitating automobile accident and a kidney transplant, she continues to lead her people. In this inspiring story, Mankiller offers herself as a valuable role model--for women as well as Native Americans. Photos not seen by PW. Author tour.