Women have made a great impact in history worldwide and right up there among the best are Native American women. The wonderful culture, traditions, creativity and beauty they have brought to the pages of history are unforgettable, graceful, romantic, spirited and spellbinding. The beauty of it all is that they did not intentionally seek fame. They followed their hearts. They were the inspiration of many a young girl.

One young Native American woman, Pocahontas, who was born around 1595, was given the honorable title of Princess in 1616 when she visited King James I and Queen Anne in England. They were undoubtedly very impressed with her and her peacemaking abilities and diplomacy. Pocahontas, born with the Pamunkey name of Mataoaka, was a daughter of a powerful chief, Powhatan, of the Virginia confederacy. So, she was in fact a young woman with great lineage. Even today, Pocahontas captures the hearts of anyone who reads about her or knows her history. Her heroic deeds to keep peace among settlers and Native Americans gave many women a role model and will never be forgotten. She died in 1617 on board a ship in England and her only son, after being raised in England, returned to America to establish his family heritage in Virginia.

Sarah Winnemucca was born in 1844 in northern Nevada. Like Pocahontas, Sarah strived for peace between the "whites" and her own people. At an early age, Sarah saw the benefits of receiving education and learned English which would help her people in later years. Despite the fact that Congress had passed an Act in the Paiute's favor to give them land allotments, independent Indian Agents out west made up their own rules and made life miserable for her people. The tribe was removed to Oregon and later to Washington state.

Sarah's ability to speak English and her determination to stand up for her people gave her the courage to fight for their rights. She became an interpreter between her people and the Army and undertook peacemaking missions. Sarah traveled throughout the west and solicited support for justice and the promised lands by going on tours in the East. A book she wrote, which was published in 1884, Life Among The Paiutes, portrayed the struggles and life that the Paiute experienced at the hands of the Indian Agents. Sarah became a teacher and taught classes in a school in Nevada, on the reservation, where the Paiute eventually, after years of struggle, regained their rights and their lands. Sarah, given the name Tocmetone (Shell Flower) at birth, died at her sister's home in Montana in 1891. She was called "Mother" by her people.

Gertrude Simmons Bonnin was born in 1875. She was a Yankton Sioux. Gertrude, born Zitkala-sa (Red Bird), was a violinist who studied at the Boston Conservatory. She was also a writer, wrote autobiographical essays, a book titled "Old Indian Legends" and composed an opera based on the Plains Sun Dance. Aside from her passion for music and writing, she worked with other women to gain better and much needed improvements for her people and their life, strongly believing there should be equal rights for all people. She was instrumental in gaining a significant reformation of the United States Indian policy. Zitkala-sa was dedicated to her mission and worked for her entire adult life for the support and rights of her people. She died in 1938, leaving a legacy of dedication to her people.

Susan La Flesche was born in 1865. She was Sioux. Susan received her degree from the Women's Medical College of Pennsylvania and gave her services to her people and other tribes. She was the first female Indian doctor. For the health and safety of her people, she fought for her entire life against disease common to them and for prohibition of liquor. She was in charge of a delegation that travelled to the nation's capital to speak out for prohibition. Susan died in 1915, at the age of 50.

Ella Carla Deloria, Anpetu Wastewin, wrote a book, Dakota Texts, which was published in 1932. It is still considered a primary authority on the Siouan language. She was a nationally famous ethnologist and linguist. She was also the national Health Education Secretary of Indian Schools through the YWCA. She wrote on the culture and social customs of Native Americans and gave lectures on the subject. Ella also devoted time to missionary work. Because she devoted so much time to recording the Dakota language in such a complete form it is one of the Native American languages that still survives today. From 1955-1958 Ella was the St. Elizabeth's School at Wakpala principal. She was a Yankton Sioux scholar and lecturer who devoted her life to preserving the culture of her people. Ella died in 1971 in South Dakota.

These Native American women and many more like them left a legacy of devotion and loyalty to their people. They had a determination to succeed and a dedication to justice which gave them the courage to do what they felt was right and needed.