IV 
110TH CONGRESS 
2D SESSION 
H. RES. 1043 
Honoring the life and legacy of Chief Standing Bear, a pioneer in civil 
rights for Native Americans, on the 100th anniversary of Chief Standing 
Bear’s death. 
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES 
MARCH 12, 2008 
Mr. FORTENBERRY (for himself, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. LEWIS of Georgia, Mr. 
WAMP, Mr. LAHOOD, Mr. JONES of North Carolina, Mr. SMITH of Ne-
braska, Mr. MORAN of Kansas, Mr. DELAHUNT, Mr. WALZ of Minnesota, 
Mr. BRALEY of Iowa, Mr. HELLER of Nevada, Mr. EHLERS, Mr. 
MCCAUL of Texas, Mr. BUCHANAN, Mr. TIM MURPHY of Pennsylvania, 
Mr. FRANKS of Arizona, Mr. KIND, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Mr. LEWIS of 
Kentucky, Mr. SCOTT of Georgia, Mr. KUHL of New York, Mr. BURGESS, 
Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Mr. ISSA, Mr. MCCOTTER, Mr. SULLIVAN, Mrs. 
MCMORRIS RODGERS, Mr. COLE of Oklahoma, Mr. GILCHREST, Mr. 
KING of Iowa, Mr. INGLIS of South Carolina, Mr. WELCH of Vermont, 
Mr. CHABOT, Mr. FERGUSON, Mr. WALDEN of Oregon, Mr. PITTS, Mr. 
BARRETT
of South Carolina, Mr. KINGSTON, Mr. RAMSTAD, Mr. 
REHBERG, Mr. ALEXANDER, Mr. MOORE of Kansas, Mr. SHULER, Mr. 
TOM DAVIS of Virginia, Mr. BOREN, and Mr. WAXMAN) submitted the 
following resolution; which was referred to the Committee on Natural Re-
sources 
RESOLUTION 
Honoring the life and legacy of Chief Standing Bear, a 
pioneer in civil rights for Native Americans, on the 100th 
anniversary of Chief Standing Bear’s death. 
Whereas Chief Standing Bear was born on Ponca land in 
what is now Nebraska; 
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•HRES 1043 IH 
Whereas Chief Standing Bear became chief of the Ponca 
Tribe at a young age because of his leadership abilities; 
Whereas, in 1878, Chief Standing Bear and the Ponca Tribe 
were forced by a Federal treaty to leave their home for 
Indian Territory in what is now Oklahoma; 
Whereas the hardship of travel, illness, and the inhospitable 
conditions of Indian Territory caused many members of 
the tribe to perish including Chief Standing Bear’s son; 
Whereas Chief Standing Bear, determined to bury his son in 
his homeland, led 30 members of his tribe back to their 
home in Nebraska; 
Whereas Chief Standing Bear and the 30 members of his 
tribe were arrested by the Department of the Interior 
upon their return; 
Whereas Chief Standing Bear enlisted the help of Thomas 
Tibbles of the predecessor to the Omaha World-Herald 
and 2 attorneys to petition the Federal court to rule on 
the Ponca Tribe’s treatment by the Government; 
Whereas, in 1879, the case came before Judge Elmer Dundy; 
Whereas Chief Standing Bear, at the conclusion of the court 
proceedings, extended his hand as he took the oath and 
said, ‘‘That hand is not the color of yours, but if I pierce 
it, I shall feel pain. If you pierce your hand, you also feel 
pain. The blood that will flow from mine will be the same 
color as yours. I am a man. God made us both’’; 
Whereas as Judge Dundy ultimately ruled that Native Ameri-
cans were citizens with all of the rights and freedoms 
guaranteed by the Constitution; 
Whereas the Ponca won their freedom and eventually were 
able to return to their home in Nebraska; 
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•HRES 1043 IH 
Whereas Chief Standing Bear would spend the next 4 years 
touring the Eastern United States promoting Native 
American rights; 
Whereas Chief Standing Bear demonstrated the highest level 
of courage and determination; 
Whereas Chief Standing Bear made a vital contribution to 
civil rights for Native Americans; and 
Whereas 2008 is the 100th anniversary of Chief Standing 
Bear’s death: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives honors 
the life, legacy, and contributions to civil rights of Chief 
Standing Bear. 
Æ 
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