Black Kettle

@Leaders, Timeline and Family ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ Black Kettle was a leader of the Southern Cheyenne tribe of Native Americans in the 19th century, who repeatedly strived for securing peace for his people Native Americans American Leaders Sagittarius Celebrities Black Kettle was a Native American of the ‘Southern Cheyenne’ tribe, who is revered for his continued efforts to bring peace to his people. He lived at a time when the US government was very insensitive to the rights of Native Americans and used its superior military muscle to repress them. He witnessed a phase wherein the government forced Black Kettle to sign an unfair treaty, then defy the treaty themselves and finally draft a new treaty according to their convenience. In spite of all the injustices, Black Kettle was foresighted enough to realize that they were no match for the Americans in battle, who wouldn’t hesitate to use force against them. Thus he kept signing one unjust treaty after another, as a result facing mutinies from within his own tribe. Even after the ‘Sand Creek Massacre’, where Black Kettle’s childhood friend died and his wife was seriously injured, he did not give up his efforts for peace. Tragically, his efforts finally proved futile as the government crushed the rebellion and confined the Native Americans to small land areas away from their ancestral homes. But, for his efforts to bring peace to his people and for the things he stood for, Black Kettle remains a much respected figure till today, especially among Native Americans.

Personal Details

Birthday: December 7, 1803 Died on: November 27, 1868 Nationality: American Famous: Native Americans, Leaders Birth Place: Black Hills Gender: Male Sun Sign: Sagittarius Information Detail Birthday December 7, 1803 Died on November 27, 1868 Nationality American Famous Native Americans, Leaders Birth Place Black Hills Gender Male Sun Sign Sagittarius Born in Black Hills Famous as Leader Died at Age 64

Black Hills

Black Kettle born at Unsplash Birth Place

He had four wives, all of whom were sisters and belonged to the Wotapio band. He began to stay with his wives’ tribe after marriage and fathered seventeen children. Unsplash Personal Life

He lost his childhood friend, ‘Chief Lean Bear’ in the ‘Sand Creek Massacre’ of 1865, but still continued to strive for peace. Unsplash Personal Life

In 1868, troops led by ‘George Armstrong Custer’ unjustly attacked the village where he was staying. This time, there was no escape for Black Kettle and he died on the banks of ‘Washita River’. Unsplash Personal Life

Black Kettle, or Moke-tav-a-to as his family called him, was born in South Dakota near the Black Hills. By 1832, he moved south to join the Southern Cheyenne tribe. Unsplash Childhood & Early Life

‘The Fort Laramie Treaty of 1851’ was signed between the US government and the Cheyennes under which the Cheyennes were assigned lands in Western Kansas and Eastern Colorado. Unsplash Later Life

However, for the next few years, there was extensive uncontrolled migration of white people into Cheyenne territory, especially after the ‘Pike’s Peak Gold Rush’ of 1859. This led to conflict for territory among the Cheyenne and the Americans. Unsplash Later Life

In 1861, the US government forced the Southern Cheyenne to sign a new treaty which allotted Sand Creek land to them. Black Kettle, the leader of the tribe, accepted the treaty in fear of the Americans’ military might. Unsplash Later Life

The allotted land was barren and not suited for agriculture. In addition, epidemics also started spreading across the Cheyenne population. Hungry and desperate, the Cheyenne began to steal resources from nearby settlers, passing wagons and mining camps. Unsplash Later Life

Black Kettle and his childhood friend ‘Chief Lean Bear’ met the U S President Abraham Lincoln in Washington D.C. in 1863. They were given peace medals and letters as a mark of their friendship with the US. Unsplash Later Life

Black Kettle tried his best to avoid the massacre at Sand Creek by waving a white flag and an American flag over his Tipi. His efforts, however, proved to be futile and the soldiers attacked anyway, leading to a bloodbath. Black Kettle managed to escape unhurt, and even returned to rescue his injured wife. This brutal incident is known as ‘Sand Creek Massacre’. Unsplash Major Battles

In 1868, in response to a series of attacks on Kansas farms, General Philip Sheridan planned a retaliatory attack against Cheyenne camps. They attacked the village in which Black Kettle was staying, even though its residents were staying in their allotted lands. In the attack that followed, Black Kettle, his wife and more than 100 other Native Americans were killed. Unsplash Major Battles

Information	Detail
Birthday	December 7, 1803
Died on	November 27, 1868
Nationality	American
Famous	Native Americans, Leaders
Birth Place	Black Hills
Gender	Male
Sun Sign	Sagittarius
Born in	Black Hills
Famous as	Leader
Died at Age	64

Black Kettle

American

Dec 7, 1803

Biography

Personal Details

Black Hills