Chief Chauncey Yellow Robe (born Canowicakte Yellow Robe, 1867–1930) was a Sičhą́ǧú (Rosebud Sioux) educator, lecturer, actor, and Native American activist. His given name, Canowicakte, means "kill in woods," and he was nicknamed "Timber" in his youth.
He was taken to Carlisle Indian School, a Native American boarding school, from which he graduated in 1895. He was an educator for 32 years under the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In 1915, he became a devoted member of the Masonic Lodge of Rapid City, South Dakota, where he spent the majority of his life as a teacher and counselor.
He appeared in films, media, and political events in his later life, including adopting President Calvin Coolidge into the Sioux tribe and starring as Chief Chetoga in the 1930 historical drama The Silent Enemy.
He is the father of folklorist, educator, and writer Rosebud Yellow Robe.
Early life and education
Yellow Robe was born in Sičháŋǧu Oyáte territory—known today as the Rosebud Indian Reservation—in southern South Dakota possibly on January 15, 1867.
He was the firstborn child of Tahcawin (), who was a skilled artist and niece of Sitting Bull. His father, Tasinagi, was a hunter, Chief, and son of a hereditary chief, known later as Yellow Robe for war deeds. He described his childhood to have primarily involved hunting, fishing, and chasing buffaloes across the plains of South and North Dakota, Nebraska, Wyoming, and Montana.
His father sent him and his younger brother to the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, after being reassured by Chief Standing Bear and his son who went there. He entered the school in 1883, "having no knowledge of the English language" and no formal schooling, and became known as Chauncey. He described his entry into the school:At the age of fifteen I was taken away to the far east to school by Brig. Gen. R. H. Pratt wearing my full Indian costume, long hair, painted face, feathers, moccasins, and blanket and not knowing a word of English. Yet, in a few years, I was able to pass from the silent walls of the school house as an independent American citizen. To educate the Indian is not a disgrace to the American civilization.
In 1893, Yellow Robe was in charge of the Carlisle School's exhibit at the Chicago World's Fair. The exhibition was titled "Into Civilization and Citizenship" and featured "images of students, mannequins representing students, and other artifacts." He was also selected to represent the North American Indians at the Congress of Nations of the World's Fair.
He graduated with honors at a 6th grade level on April 1, 1895, being trained in the tailoring trade.
Career and activism
Soon after his graduation, Yellow Robe entered the government Indian School Service as an industrial teacher, presumably moving to Rapid City, South Dakota, to begin educating. After a year, he "occupied the position of disciplinarian" until resigning in 1902, and then re-entering in 1905.
From about 1896 to 1913, he was an industrial teacher and disciplinarian in Rapid City. He likely taught in the Rapid City Indian School, which was created in 1898 for Indian children from the Northern plains, including those from the Sioux, Northern Cheyenne, Shoshone, Arapaho, Crow, and Flathead tribes. It was one of the off-reservation Indian Boarding Schools established by the Bureau of Indian Affairs and was sometimes called "School of the Hills".
Around this time, he met Lillian Belle Sprenger, a volunteer nurse at the Rapid City Indian School. Sprenger's family was from the German-speaking city of Neftenbach, Switzerland; she was of Swiss-German ancestry and was born in Minnesota in 1885. Sprenger and Yellow Robe married in 1905. The couple had three daughters: Rosebud, Chauncina, and Evelyn Robe. A report of the family was published in February 1914 in the Western Christian Advocate.
His daughter Rosebud Yellow Robe became an award-winning folklorist, educator, and writer.