[Congressional Record Volume 150, Number 38 (Wednesday, March 24, 2004)]
[Senate]
[Page S3093]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                            SARAH WINNEMUCCA

  Mr. REID. Mr. President, today I rise to celebrate a remarkable woman 
and the exceptional life she led.
  The great Nevadan I wish to honor is Sarah Winnemucca. Born in 1844 
as the granddaughter of the great Chief Truckee and the daughter of 
Chief Winnemucca, Sarah lived during a time of enormous change for the 
United States, the American West, and especially for the Paiute Nation.
  Originally known as Thocmetony, meaning ``shell flower,'' Sarah lived 
her life as an advocate for the Paiute people. She was also a committed 
educator. Today one of the most important artifacts we have of Sarah's 
life is her autobiography, ``Life Among the Piutes.'' The first book 
published by a Native American woman, Sarah's writings convey a 
powerful account of life in the West from the perspective of Native 
Americans.
  For many years Sarah lived with her tribe and witnessed the 
displacement that was forced on the Nevada Paiute. While some were 
confined to the Pyramid Lake Reservation in western Nevada, others were 
moved to the Malheur Reservation in Oregon, and still others were 
exiled to a reservation near Yakima, WA.
  Seeking redress for the many hardships that her people suffered, in 
1880 Sarah made the long trip to Washington, DC, where she was given an 
audience with Secretary of the Interior Carl Schurz and President 
Rutherford B. Hayes.
  While that meeting and subsequent negotiations brought no substantive 
improvements for the Paiutes, Sarah remained committed to her work. 
Over the next decade she gave more than 300 public speeches to 
highlight the plight of the Paiute Nation. Sarah eventually returned to 
Nevada where she established a school for Native Americans near 
Lovelock.
  Through all the challenges she faced, Sarah Winnemucca remained 
stubbornly committed to the promotion of equality for all Americans. 
She demanded respect for Native Americans in a time when that idea was 
nothing short of revolutionary.
  For these reasons, I am honored to announce that in 2005 the State of 
Nevada will dedicate a statue of Sarah Winnemucca here in the U.S. 
Capitol. More than 100 years after her passing, Sarah Winnemucca will 
join 99 other great Americans whose likenesses stand proudly in the Old 
Chamber of the House of Representatives, or as we call it today, 
Statuary Hall.
  As a pioneer and a tremendous leader in her own right, it is fitting 
that Sarah Winnemucca take her place next to the likes of George 
Washington, Dwight Eisenhower, John Winthrop, Sacajawea and Nevada 
Senator Patrick McCarran.
  In addition to commemorating the life of Sarah Winnemucca, I would 
like to acknowledge Sara Jones, the administrator of the Nevada State 
Library and Archives, for her enthusiasm and commitment to this effort. 
Additionally, I extend my sincere thanks to former assemblywoman Marcia 
de Braga, Nevada First Lady Dema Guinn, Carrie Townley Porter, Debbie 
Allen, Richard Hooker, Mary Lee Fulkerson, Steven High, Mary Anne 
Convis, and Sally Zanjani, who all have worked hard to bring this 
project to fruition. The support of the Nevada Women's History Project 
and the Nevada Department of Cultural Affairs was also essential to 
this effort.

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