1941: “Postoffice mural unfair to Cheyenne Indians.”

April 30, 2017

In 1941, this Post Office mural created quite an uproar in Wantonga, Oklahoma. Chicago Daily Tribune (June 15, 1941) published the image below - along with the reasons for the protest. Representatives from the Cheyenne Nation objected. The articles below illustrate their reasons:

Big Chief Say Mural ‘Smells”

So Indians Picket Postoffice

Streamlined Cheyenne Tribe Strike to Protest Oklahoma

Painting of Dead Chieftain;

Claim Scalping’s Out of Date.

1941, June 14 Battle Creek Enquirer

Watonga, Okla. – Cheyenne Indians started picketing against a new mural depicting their forebears.

Attired in full tribal regalia, they bore placards saying:

“Postoffice mural unfair to Cheyenne Indians.”

The mural was painted by Miss Edith Mahler of the University of Oklahoma art department. It represents the Cheyenne Indians of Roman Nose canyon, now a state park, at the time of the coming of settlers.

Chief Henry Roman Nose, tribal chief, at the time and predecessor of the picketing Red Bird, is the predominant figure in the mural.

Chief Red Bird, speaking through his interpreter, explained his displeasure by saying:

“Picture not like Roman Nose. Chief wears feathers farther back on head, not tied on with store-bought string. Breechclout too short, look like Navajo. Ponies Indians riding look like hobby horses with swan necks. Cheyennes like spotted ponies. Roman Nose’s baby look like stumpy pig cornmeal-bloated. Roman Nose had fine boys. Our Chief Roman Nose wearing Navajo clothes. No good. It stinks.”
Asked if he intended to scalp the artist, he replied, through Interpreter Yellow Eyes:

“Bows-and-arrow, horse-an-buggy day business no good. Cheyenne streamlined. We picket postoffice.”

So full-blooded Indian pickets, youngsters along with big bucks and squaws, took up their task over monstrancess of Postmaster Clarence Knappenberger.

The postmaster appealed to Mayor A.E. Georke to forbid the picketing by the mayor replied:

“Our Cheyenne Indians are peace-loving and upright citizens. They’re picketing for what they believe is an injustice. They, by their picketing, are not holding up national defense contracts, so I’m for them 100 percent.”

Mayor Goerke explained neither the city or state had any jurisdiction. They Cheyennes are wards of the government.