Clinton Rickard
| Clinton Rickard | |
|---|---|
| RO-WA-DA-GAH-RAH-DEH, ("Loud Voice") | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | May 19, 1882 Niagara County, New York |
| Died | Jun. 14, 1971 Buffalo, New York |
| Resting place | Mount Hope Cemetery, Lewiston, New York |
| Spouse(s) | Elizabeth Patterson, Beulah M Mt Pleasant |
| Relations | Granddaughter, Jolene Rickards |
| Children | William C, Edwin Clarkson, Ralph M and Elizabeth Rickard; Beverly Rickard Hill |
| Parents | George David and Lucy (Garlow) Richard |
Clinton Rickard (1882-1971) was a Tuscarora chief known for founding the Indian Defense League, and for promoting Native American sovereignty. He worked for free passage of Native Americans across the US-Canada border, and to prevent the flooding of the Tuscarora Reservation.
Rickard was born 19 May 1882 on the Tuscarora Reservation in New York to George and Lucy Rickard "Clinton was one of ten soldiers detailed to protect Vice President Theodore Roosevelt on a visit to Buffalo in 1901. He later served with distinction in the US Cavalry during the Philippine insurrection after the Spanish American War."
He became a farmer, and was described as "plain-spoken."
In 1926, Chief Clinton Rickards founded the Indian Defense League with Chief David Hill, Jr. and Sophie Martin. The purpose of the League is "to promote unrestricted travel across the international border between the United States and Canada." "Chief Rickard always preached the sovereignty of Indian nations as national entities apart from the United States or Canada. Focused on defending the border rights guaranteed by the Jay Treaty, Rickard always stood firm on the principle that all Six Nations Indians were citizens of their own nations."
"Chief Rickard started the annual border-crossing ceremony to certify rights of Indians to cross the border free from fees or obstruction from either Canadian or American governments."
Deskaheh was influential in Rickard's commitment to the cause of free passage across the border.
While staying at Chief Rickard's house on the Tuscarora Reservation (in New York state) Deskaheh fell ill and sent for his traditional medicine man from the Six Nations Reserve in Canada. But the medicine man was not allowed across the border. The U.S. had just passed the Immigration Law of 1924, which denied entry to anyone who did not speak English ...
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Wikipedia