Happy birthday, astronaut James Dutton!

James Dutton Jr., born November 20, 1968 in Eugene, Oregon, went into space aboard space shuttle Discovery (STS-131) as pilot to the International Space Station in April 2010.  He retired from the US Air Force as Colonel in 2014.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Jesse Chisholm, Cherokee developer of the Chisholm trail

Jesse Chisholm, born around 1805 in present-day Tennessee, was a Cherokee with Scottish ancestry who developed what became known as the Chisholm Trail.  He moved to Indian Territory with his mother, and became involved with a gold-seeking party, who blazed a trail to explore the area around present-day Wichita, Kansas.

He married Eliza Edwards in 1836 and he became a trader, working and serving as an interpreter between the Republic of Texas and local Native American tribes. He also worked between the US government and Native American tribes in Texas after Texas joined the US.  

After the Civil War, he settled near present-day Kingfisher, Oklahoma and traded into Indian Territory.  He built up a military trail into a road capable of carrying heavy wagons for his goods.  

Later, this trail was used by ranchers driving cattle from Texas to Kansas.  They named it the Chisholm Trail.

Jesse Chisholm passed away in Indian Territory, now Oklahoma in 1868.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Louis Tewanima, first Native American (Hopi) to win an Olympic medal

Louis Tewanima, born in 1888 in what is now Arizona, participated in two Olympic games and won the silver medal in the 10,000 meter run at the 1912 Olympic Games in Sweden.  He became the first Native American (Hopi) to win an Olympic medal and set a US record which stood until 1964, when another Native American, Billy Mills (Lakota Sioux) broke it.

Tewanima had previously represented the US at the 1908 Olympic games in London where he placed ninth in the marathon.  After the 1912 Olympics he returned to his reservation and spent the rest of his life herding sheep and raising crops.

In 1906, Tewanima was kidnapped by the US Government and sent to Fort Wingate in New Mexico, and then to Carlisle Indian School in 1907 where he met Jim Thorpe.

He passed away in Second Mesa, Arizona in January 1959.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Co-Rux--Te-Chod-Ish, first Native American recipient of Medal of Honor

Co-Rux--Te-Chod-Ish (Mad Dog), born in 1847 in Nebraska in the Pawnee Tribe, was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Indian Wars.  He joined the US Army in Columbus, Nebraska as an Indian Scout.  In July 1869, he was thrown from his horse while chasing after a Cheyenne Dog Soldier near the Republican River.  He was badly injured when another member of his own unit shot him by mistake.

He was awarded the Medal of Honor on August 24, 1869.  He passed away in February 1913 and is buried in Oklahoma.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Ely Samuel Parker, first Native American (Seneca) promoted to brigadier general in US Army

Ely Samuel Parker, born in Indian Falls, New York in 1828, was bilingual being fluent in English and Seneca. He worked for a legal firm in Ellicottville, New York, and applied to take the bar examine.  Unfortunately, Native Americans were not considered US citizens, and he was not permitted to take it. 

After a chance meeting with Lewis Henry Morgan, Parker helped Morgan with information on the Seneca for Morgan's book on the Iroquois.  With Morgan's help, Parker earned an engineering degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute in Troy, New York.

He worked as a civil engineer until the start of the Civil War.  President Grant appointed Parker to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs, become the first Native American to hold that position. Parker tried to raise a regiment of Iroquois volunteers to fight for the Union, but was turned down.  He tried to enlist in the Army but was turned down since he was Native American.

Grant got Parker a commission to captain in May 1863. Later, Parker was appointed as military secretary to Grant with the rank of lieutenant colonel.  He helped draft the surrender documents for Robert E. Lee's surrendered at Appomattox Courthouse in April 1865. 

Parker was promoted to brigadier general of the US Army March 2, 1867, becoming the first Seneca to achieve that rank. 

He passed away in  August 1895.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Lauro Cavazos, first Hispanic member of US Cabinet

Lauro Cavazos, born January 4, 1927 in Kingsville, Texas, enlisted in the US Army in 1944 and served state-side in an infantry unit in the last days of WWII.  He enrolled at Texas College of Arts and Industries (now Texas A&M University-Kingsville) and majoring in journalism..  He transferred to Texas Technological  College (now Texas Tech University) and earned a BA and MS in zoology.  Later he earned a PhD in physiology from Iowa State University in 1954.

He was a member of Kappa Kappa Psi.

He became the president of Texas Tech University, becoming the first alumnus and first Hispanic to serve as Texas Tech president.  He served from 1980-1988, when President Reagan appointed him as Secretary of Education, making him the first Hispanic member in the US Cabinet.  He remained at the post until 1990, when he resigned.

After his resignation, he served as the Professor of Public Health and Family Medicine.  He passed away in March 2022. 

Celebrating National Hispanic Heritage Month: Laura Harring, first Latina to win Miss USA

Laura Elena Harring Martinez, born March 3, 1964 in Los Mochis, Mexico, is the first Latina to win Miss USA.  She grew up in Mexico before she and her family relocated to San Antonio, Texas when she was ten.  At twelve, she suffered a head injury when she was caught in a crossfire from a driveby shooting at twelve.

After studying theater and dance in Europe, she moved to El Paso and began competing in beauty pageants.  She won Miss El Paso USA, Miss Texas USA, and then Miss USA 1985 becoming the first Hispanic woman to do so.  

She went on to have a successful acting career, most notable is her role as Rita in Mulholland Drive.