H. Res. 1237 
In the House of Representatives, U. S., 
April 14, 2010. 
Whereas Wilma was born November 18, 1945, at Hastings 
Indian Hospital in Tahlequah, Oklahoma, and had her 
roots planted deep in the rural community of Mankiller 
Flats in Adair County, Oklahoma, where she spent most 
of her life; 
Whereas at age 10, her family moved to San Francisco as 
part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs Relocation Program 
where she lived for two decades before returning to Okla-
homa in 1977; 
Whereas upon returning to Oklahoma, Wilma found a job as 
a community coordinator at the Cherokee Nation capital 
and enrolled in graduate courses at the University of Ar-
kansas in Fayetteville; 
Whereas in 1983 Wilma ran for the office of Deputy Chief 
alongside Ross Swimmer, then Principal Chief of the 
Cherokee Nation, and the two won the election and took 
office in August, 1983; 
Whereas on December 5, 1985, Wilma was sworn in to re-
place Chief Swimmer as Principal Chief of the Cherokee 
Nation, making her the first female to hold the office;
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Whereas Wilma was formally elected to serve as the first fe-
male Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation in 1987, 
and was overwhelmingly re-elected in 1991; 
Whereas during her time as Principal Chief, Wilma focused 
on education and health care, overseeing the construction 
of new schools, job-training centers, health clinics, com-
munity development, and a award winning housing and 
water projects in low-income communities; 
Whereas over the course of her three terms, Wilma made 
great strides to reinstate the traditional Cherokee culture 
and values, especially the role of women, reinvigorating 
the Cherokee Nation through community development 
projects where men and women work collectively for the 
common good; 
Whereas during Wilma’s tenure she transformed the Nation- 
to-Nation relationship between the Cherokee Nation and 
the Federal Government, met with Presidents Reagan, 
Bush, and Clinton to present critical tribal issues, and 
co-chaired a national conference between tribal leaders 
and cabinet members, which helped facilitate the estab-
lishment of an Office of Indian Justice within the U.S. 
Department of Justice; 
Whereas upon leaving office Wilma continued her endeavors, 
serving on several philanthropic boards, including 12 
years on the board of trustees of the Ford Foundation, 
4 years on the Board of the Ms. Foundation for Women, 
and 4 years on the board of the Seventh Generation 
Fund and the board of the Freedom Forum and its sub-
sidiary, the Newseum; 
Whereas Wilma presented more than 100 lectures on the 
challenges facing Native Americans and women in the
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Whereas upon the announcement of her diagnoses in March 
of 2010, Wilma offered words of inspiration: ‘‘I want my 
family and friends to know that I am mentally and spir-
itually prepared for this journey; a journey that all 
human beings will take at one time or another. I learned 
a long time ago that I can’t control the challenges the 
Creator sends my way but I can control the way I think 
about them and deal with them. On balance, I have been 
blessed with an extraordinarily rich and wonderful life, 
filled with incredible experiences. And I am grateful to 
have a support team composed of loving family and 
friends. I will be spending my time with my family and 
close friends and engaging in activities I enjoy. It’s been 
my privilege to meet and be touched by thousands of peo-
ple in my life and I regret not being able to deliver this 
message personally to so many of you’’; 
Whereas Chief Mankiller’s final days were not marred by the 
impending sorrow of her departure, but glowing reminis-
cence of her influence in years past; and 
Whereas Chief Mankiller passed away in the morning hours 
of April 6, 2010, at her home in rural Adair County, 
Oklahoma: Now, therefore, be it 
Resolved, That the House of Representatives expresses— 
(1) gratitude to Wilma Mankiller for her significant 
contributions to the Nation, an inspiration to women in 
Indian Country and across America, and for leaving a 
profound legacy that will continue to encourage and mo-
tivate all who carry on her work; and 
(2) deep sorrow at the passing of Chief Mankiller 
and condolences to her friends and family, especially her
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husband Charlie and two daughters, Gina and Felicia, as 
well as the Cherokee Nation and all those who knew her 
and were touched by her good works. 
Attest: 
Clerk.