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: Diane Humetewa, first Native American federal judge

 

Diane Humetewa, born December 5, 1964 in Phoenix, Arizona, is the first Native American woman to serve as federal judge. She was appointed by President Barack Obama in 2014 to be the United States District Court of the District of Arizona.

Humetewa is an enrolled member of the Hopi tribe and graduated from Arizona State University in 1987.  She then attended Arizona State's Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, graduating with a Juris Doctor in 1993. 

She served as deputy counsel for the US Senate's Committee on Indian Affairs from 1993-1996. Starting in 1996, she served as the Tribal Liaison in the US Attorney's for Arizona. She was confirmed as a United States Attorney for Arizona in December 2007, becoming the first Native American woman to serve as US Attorney. 

In September 2013, President Barack Obama nominated Humetewa to serve as US district judge for Arizona. On May 14, 2014, the US Senate was confirmed as a US federal judge. 

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/w00-Hs36VJE

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Thunderbird, superhero Apache member of the X-Men

John Proudstar, also known as Thunderbird, is a superhero that appeared with the X-Men in the Giant-Size X-Men #1 in May 1975. As a mutant, Proudstar possesses superhuman athletic ability.  Unfortunately, he died on the second mission. After his death, his brother James became Thunderbird and later Warpath.

Proudstar was born into the Apache tribe in Camp Verde, Arizona.  When he became a teenager, he realized he possessed superhuman senses, strength, speed, stamina, and sturdiness. He was drafted into the Marine Corps and served during the Vietnam War.  He returned to his tribe after the war, having changed significantly  

Professor Charles Xavier recruited him to join his third group of X-Men.  Due to his bad temper and individualism, he clashed with Cyclops.  He was killed when he refused to jump off a jet plane, pursuing Count Nefaria.  The plane exploded and Thunderbird was killed.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Raven Chacon, first Native American to win Pulitzer Prize for music

Raven Chacon, born 1977 in Fort Defiance, Arizona, is the first Native American to win a Pulitzer Prize for Music.  In 2021, Chacon composed Voiceless Mass, written for the pipe organ at the Cathedral of St. John the Evangelist in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. and it premiered there November 21, 2021.  It was this composition that won him the award in 2022. 

He has won numerous awards for his music, including the Berlin Prize by the American Academy in Berlin.

Celebrating Native American Heritage Month: Deb Haaland, first Native American US Cabinet Secretary

Deb Haaland, born December 2, 1960 in Winslow, Arizona, is the first Native American to be appointed to the US Cabinet.  She assumed the office of Secretary of the Interior under President Biden in March 2021, after being confirmed by a vote of 51-40.  

Haaland is a member of the Laguna Pueblo tribe, and earned her Bachelor of Arts from the University of New Mexico, and later earned her Juris Doctor in Indian Law from UNM's School of Law.  She ran for Lieutenant Governor of New Mexico in 2014 with Gary King, but lost the election.

She ran for the US House of Representatives for New Mexico in 2018 and won the election.  Haaland was one of first two Native American women to be seated in Congress, with Sharice Davids, a representative from Kansas.  

Haaland had the support of many Democrats in Congress for the position of Secretary of the Interior before Biden announced her nomination.  She wore traditional Laguna Pueblo regalia for her swearing-in ceremony.  

Happy birthday, Barbara Eden!

Barbara Eden, born August 23, 1931 in Tucson, Arizona, is best known for her role as Jeannie in the iconic I Dream of Jeannie television series, which ran from 1965-1970.  She garnered two Golden Globe nominations for her work. 

Her first appearance was in 1956 an uncredited role in Back from Eternity, which is a remake of Lucille Ball's Five Came Back (1939).  She appeared in the 1961 Voyage to the Bottom of the Sea, before landing the role of Jeannie in 1965.  Later, she appeared in TV movie Harper Valley P.T.A., and went on to star in two seasons of a series spun off from the movie.

She continues to act and make guest appearances.

Happy birthday, Godzilla actor Don Frye!

Don Frye, born November 23, 1965 in Sierra Vista, Arizona, made his film debut in Godzilla: Final Wars in 2004.  He began as a wrestler, wrestling for Arizona State University and Oklahoma State University.  He gained success in Mixed Martial Arts and competed in the Ultimate Fighting Championship.

Celebrating Hispanic Heritage Month: Octaviano Larrazolo, first Hispanic American to serve in the US Senate

Octaviano Ambrosio Larrazolo, born in Chihuahua, Mexico in December 1859, is the first Mexican-American to serve in the United States Senate.  He moved to Arizona when he was 11.  

He studied law and was a teacher and principal.  He was instrumental for securing the Spanish language for use in conducting public business.

In 1918, he was elected as a Republican as governor of New Mexico.  In 1928, he was elected to fill the senatorial seat of Andrieus Jones, who had died in office.  Upon taking the seat on December 7, 1928, he became the first Hispanic-American to serve in the US Senate.  Unfortunately, he passed away after serving only three months.

Happy birthday, Space Shuttle astronaut Steven Smith!

Steven Smith, born December 30, 1958 in Phoenix, Arizona, is a veteran of four space shuttle flights and seven space walks.

His first mission was aboard Endeavour (STS-68) as mission specialist in September-October 1994.  He spent just over 11 days in space.

His second mission was aboard Discovery (STS-82) in February 1997 as mission specialist.  It was the second servicing mission to the Hubble Space Telescope.  Smith conducted three EVAs with fellow astronaut Mark Lee.

His third mission was on Discovery (STS-103) as mission specialist in December 1999 to service the Hubble Space Telescope again.  He conducted two EVAs with fellow astronaut John Grunsfield.

Smith's fourth and final mission was aboard Atlantis (STS-110) as mission specialist to the International Space Station in April 2002.  He conducted two more EVAs with fellow astronaut Rex Walheim,

Happy birthday, astronaut T.J. Creamer!

Timothy "TJ" Creamer, born November 15, 1959 in Huachuca City, Arizona, has spent 163 days aboard the International Space Station.  He went into space aboard Soyuz TMA-17, launched in December 2009.  He participated in Expeditions 22 and 23.  He returned to Earth in June 2010.

Celebrating Pride Month - Neil Giuliano, first openly gay mayor in the U.S.

Neil Giuliano, born October 26, 1956, is the first openly gay mayor in the United States.  He was elected for four consecutive terms as mayor of Tempe, Arizona from 1994 to 2004.  He wasn't out at the time of the first election, but came out during prior to the second election.

In 2008, he changed his party affiliation from Republican to  Democrat, and there was speculation that he would run for governor of Arizona in 2010, but he did not.

Giuliano also served as president of the Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), a group dedicated to ensuring the LGBT community have accurate, fair and inclusive representation in the media.