Joe Medicine Crow
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Joseph Medicine Crow (born October 27, 1913, near Lodge Grass, Montana) is a Crow historian and author. His writings on Native American history and reservation culture are considered seminal works, but he is probably best known for his writings and lectures concerning the Battle of Little Big Horn. He is an enrolled member of the Crow Nation, or Crow Tribe of Indians.
He was born on the Crow reservation in Montana. Joseph Medicine Crow is a cousin to Pauline Small d., the first woman elected to the Crow Tribe of Indians. His step-grandfather, White Man Runs Him, was a scout for George Armstrong Custer and an eyewitness to the battle. He grew up hearing stories of the momentous event.
He attended the University of Southern California, earning a masters degree in anthropology in 1939. His thesis, The Effects of European Culture Contact upon the Economic, Social, and Religious Life of the Crow Indians, has become one of the most widely cited documents concerning Crow culture.
After serving in the U.S. Army in Europe during World War II, he returned to the Crow Agency. He completed the four requirements of a chief--touch a living enemy soldier; disarm an enemy; lead a successful war party; and steal an enemy's horse[1]--during his wartime service, however, did not receive the title of chief as it was retired after that last surviving chief of the Crow Tribe of Indians, Plenty Coups. In 1948, he was appointed tribal historian and anthropologist.
A noted author, his books have included Crow Migration Story, Medicine Crow, the Handbook of the Crow Indians Law and Treaties, Crow Indian Buffalo Jump Techniques, and From the Heart of Crow Country. He also authored a children’s book entitled Brave Wolf and the Thunderbird.
Now well into his 90s, he remains active writing and lecturing. In 1999, he addressed the United Nations and was granted an honorary doctorate from USC at the age of 90. He is a frequent guest speaker at Little Bighorn College and the Little Big Horn Battlefield Museum and has appeared in several documentaries about the battle.
He was also interviewed and appeared in the 2007 Ken Burns PBS series The War, describing his World War II service.
[edit] Quotes
“As a member of the Crow tribe, and as a professional researcher, I think I’m doing quite a nice job of telling the Crow Indian story in the proper ways.”
“No one wins [in war]. Both sides lose. The Indians, so called hostiles, won the battle of the day, but lost their way of life."
[edit] External links
- Tribal historian honored as 2005 'Montana Tourism Person of the Year'
- Cast Member in Documentary about Crow and Shoshone Sun Dance and Tribal Culture'
- ^ Brendan Miniter, “Ken Burns Returns to War” Wall Street Journal Opinion, 19 Sep 2007; http://opinionjournal.com/la/?id=110010622, accessed 19 Sep 2007.
