Born 1942
St. Regis Mohawk Reservation, New York

Died September 20, 1972
Sonoma County, California

Ironworker, political activist

Richard Oakes. © Bettmann/Corbis. Reproduced by permission.

Richard Oakes was one of the earliest leaders of the Native American rights movement that began to grow during the 1960s. In an era when many groups of people were fighting to end discrimination and claim their civil rights, the First People of the United States often felt like a forgotten minority. Oakes and those who worked with him did much to unite Indian people and to publicize their cause. Their work helped to restore Native American pride. Their efforts forced the U.S. government to take some responsibility for the destruction of Native American culture.

Born to a Proud People

Oakes was born into the Mohawk tribe of the northeastern United States and southeastern Canada some time in 1942. The Mohawk are a proud...