Great Leader: Black Kettle of the Southern Cheyenne, 1803-1868
Some people's lives are one tragedy after another. Black Kettle of the Southern Cheyenne was a capable leader and warrior who tried his best to deal with the realities of White incursion into his people's home and hunting range. And he would face two of the most horrific incidents to happen in the west, the Sand Creek Massacre and the Battle of the Washita. Black Kettle was born in the Black Hills of South Dakota. By birth, he was a member of a band of Northern Cheyenne, but he would marry into the Southern Cheyenne and achieve leadership among them. He eventually became the leader of the Council of Forty Four, the governing body of the entire Cheyenne tribe, a testament to his skills as a leader and warrior. In 1851, the Cheyenne had signed the Treaty of Fort Laramie, which set the boundaries for their land and guaranteed that the U.S. would prevent trespassers. The Settlers kept coming and conflicts between Cheyenne war and hunting parties an...