Medicine Crow, Joseph, 1913-2016

Variant names

Dates:

Birth 1913-10-27

Death 2016-04-03

Birth 1913-10-27

Nationality: Americans

Language: English, Siouan languages

Biographical notes:

Joseph Medicine Crow (born October 27, 1913, near Lodge Grass, Montana - died April 3, 2016, Billings, Montana), was an author, educator, official tribal historian, tribal member, and Chief of the Crow Nation. He was the first Crow male to earn a Bachelor's degree (B.S. 1938 in Sociology and Psychology, Linfield College) and a Master's degree (1939, Anthropology, Univ. of Southern California). He served with the U.S. Army during World War II, 1943-1946, where he achieved the four traditional military deeds that had been necessary to attain chieftaincy in the buffalo days. Post-war, he worked for a few years for the Crow Tribe and several years for the Realty Office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs until his retirement in 1982.

Medicine Crow served as a board member or officer of the Crow Central Education Commission and Little Big Horn College. Has worked with the Museum of the Plains Indian, is a member of the Crow Historical and Cultural Commission, founding member of the Custer Battlefield Historical and Museum Association. Has done much archaeological work, published several historical writings and has taught or has lectured in high schools, colleges and civic organizations.