18 - Nebraska, Susan La Flesche Picotte
Work life balance has always been a consideration. Susan La Flesche Picotte, the first Native American Doctor balanced work, advocacy, raising a family, and her heritage on the Omaha tribe with grace. Still a continuing struggle for many women today.
Interesting note, she was the first PERSON to get federal financial aid for higher education in America!
Nebraska was the 14th state to Ratify the Nineteenth Amendment on August 2, 1919 alongside Montana.
After time away from the Omaha tribe, Susan La Flesche Picotte’s father, Iron Eye, returned and advocated for assimilation to Western culture as Principal Leader of the Omaha tribe in 1855. Her mother was a woman that studied and practiced genuine Omaha tribe heritage, and taught the traditions to Susan La Flesche. However, her father and oldest sister insisted she spoke English and was held back from the traditional name and tattoos of the tribe.
She was drawn to medicine as a young girl watching her tribal people ailing from mis-treatment by medical professionals. She was educated at a white boarding school formed under Ulysses S. Grant’s “Peace Policy” to assimilate Native Americans in 1869. Following her ongoing education, she chose furthering herself to medical school rather than the traditional life of a wife and mother. Going to school would surpass the common practice for women as a healer.
Not able to afford the higher education, Picotte turned to the Women’s National Indian Association (WNIA), who funded her education receiving the first federal funding for professional education in the USA. She graduated valedictorian on March 14, 1889 after three years of schooling.
Much of her practice was on preventive health, cleanliness, and temperance to counter the impacts alcoholism had on the Omaha tribe. White people commonly took advantage of the Native Americans as they were affected by their alcoholism. She was chair of many boards and organizations to advocate and preach for public health in the community, most passionately against tuberculosis.
To her young death, Mrs. Picotte consistently fought for the causes of her tribe and young family.
Why this woman?
In some ways (I’m sure not as clearly as briefly described), Susan’s response to the cultural expectations of her communities around her defined her role. In some ways, she wasn’t restricted from entering society to the same level of other women of the late 1880’s. She adapted to society and used her very strong intelligence to work with a system that typically would limit her for her gender and her race. Additionally, she prioritized her family obligations with her work life balance and continued to advocate in many avenues. She worked hard, but to me fought for her family, community, and work life balance. Another thing that should be further progressed if identified so long ago. She excelled at her advocacy while still prioritizing the missions she held dear to herself, yet women still struggle with this equilibrium everywhere.
Interesting note, she was the first PERSON to get federal financial aid for higher education in America!
Nebraska was the 14th state to Ratify the Nineteenth Amendment on August 2, 1919 alongside Montana.
After time away from the Omaha tribe, Susan La Flesche Picotte’s father, Iron Eye, returned and advocated for assimilation to Western culture as Principal Leader of the Omaha tribe in 1855. Her mother was a woman that studied and practiced genuine Omaha tribe heritage, and taught the traditions to Susan La Flesche. However, her father and oldest sister insisted she spoke English and was held back from the traditional name and tattoos of the tribe.
She was drawn to medicine as a young girl watching her tribal people ailing from mis-treatment by medical professionals. She was educated at a white boarding school formed under Ulysses S. Grant’s “Peace Policy” to assimilate Native Americans in 1869. Following her ongoing education, she chose furthering herself to medical school rather than the traditional life of a wife and mother. Going to school would surpass the common practice for women as a healer.
Not able to afford the higher education, Picotte turned to the Women’s National Indian Association (WNIA), who funded her education receiving the first federal funding for professional education in the USA. She graduated valedictorian on March 14, 1889 after three years of schooling.
Much of her practice was on preventive health, cleanliness, and temperance to counter the impacts alcoholism had on the Omaha tribe. White people commonly took advantage of the Native Americans as they were affected by their alcoholism. She was chair of many boards and organizations to advocate and preach for public health in the community, most passionately against tuberculosis.
To her young death, Mrs. Picotte consistently fought for the causes of her tribe and young family.
Why this woman?
In some ways (I’m sure not as clearly as briefly described), Susan’s response to the cultural expectations of her communities around her defined her role. In some ways, she wasn’t restricted from entering society to the same level of other women of the late 1880’s. She adapted to society and used her very strong intelligence to work with a system that typically would limit her for her gender and her race. Additionally, she prioritized her family obligations with her work life balance and continued to advocate in many avenues. She worked hard, but to me fought for her family, community, and work life balance. Another thing that should be further progressed if identified so long ago. She excelled at her advocacy while still prioritizing the missions she held dear to herself, yet women still struggle with this equilibrium everywhere.
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