Wilma Mankiller

(1945–2010)

In addition to making history as Principal Chief of the Cherokees and becoming an important symbol of female empowerment, Wilma Mankiller was also a noted writer and editor. She cowrote her autobiography, Mankiller: A Chief and Her People (1993), with Michael Wallis, addressing such controversial topics as Cherokee slaveholders and her own role in the political protests at Alcatraz.

Her most recent book, Every Day is a Good Day: Reflections by Contemporary Indigenous Women (2004), is an anthology of ideas, exploring the collective life strategies of native women, including Joy Harjo.

The accompanying Writing Out Loud program was Wilma’s final public interview.

Related links: Michael Wallis and Joy Harjo

Did You Know...

Even after Wilma Mankiller became famous, she continued to live in her ancestral home and cook on a wood stove.

Getting Started with Wilma Mankiller

Selected Works

Mankiller: A Chief and Her People, 1993
Every Day is a Good Day: Reflections by Contemporary Indigenous Women, 2004

Find Out More
The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture