D’Arcy McNickle (1904 - 1977)
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D’Arcy McNickle was born in St. Ignatius, Montana on the Flathead Reservation. He was the youngest of three siblings. Adopted into the Salish and Kootenai Confederacy, he went to school on the Flathead Reservation. He attended the Chemawa Indian School in Oregon, which would be the topic of two of his books. He was neither Salish nor Kootenai, his parents had fled violence in Canada and identified as Metis, though his mother was Cree. From the boarding school he attended the University of Montana, studying Literature and History. Although he struggled academically at UM, McNickle was afforded an opportunity to attend Oxford. After selling his allotment on the reservation to fund the trip, he didn't attend Oxford due to the cost and amount of time it would take to get his degree.
He went on to achieve great things. In his most popular book, The Surrounded, he wrote about the Flathead Reservation. He worked for the BIA, helped implement the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act, led the fight against the Flathead Termination, worked with the National Congress of American Indians, and chaired the Anthropology Department at the University of Saskatchewan. He overcame many obstacles, and wielded substantial influence in federal Indian policy. McNickle was a major contributor to the revitalization of Indigenous culture and persistence against destructive policies in the 20th century. For more information, visit: Montana Historical Society, Newberry, and Native American Roots. |