- The Ponca tribes had multiple chiefs, but only one was the official hereditary chief, considered higher ranking than the others. The title was passed down from father to son; daughters could not become chief. The chief was responsible for the general affairs of the tribe, leading major hunts, key decisions regarding its members and any negotiating, treaties or significant property interactions with other tribes or outside groups. Lesser chiefs, such as Standing Bear, did occasionally assume important leadership roles in tribal affairs.
- Standing Bear has been prominently featured in the tribe's history and in the history of relations between Native Americans and the U.S. Government in the late 1870s and 1880s. In a tragic error, Ponca lands were given to the Sioux. Federal authorities decided it would be too difficult to re-allot the land, so they ordered the Ponca to be forcibly relocated to territory in Oklahoma. Standing Bear and a small band of Ponca defied the government by returning to their original lands to bury the bones of his dead son.
- Standing Bear and his followers were detained by authorities until they could be returned to Indian Territory in Oklahoma. The chief obtained the help of two prominent Omaha attorneys to represent him in the federal court system. In a landmark decision, he and his followers were adjudged to be "persons" in the eyes of the law, a status Native Americans had not enjoyed prior to this time. After a stirring and convincing speech to the judge in which he claimed he was as much a man as the judge himself, Standing Bear became famous for his role in garnering greater legal rights for all tribes.
- White Eagle was the hereditary chief of the tribe at the time of Standing Bear's actions; he originally advised against the attempt to return to the traditional homelands, though later supported Standing Bear in his court appearances. White Eagle was a widely revered leader among the Ponca, guiding them through the challenges of the forced move and helping his people reestablish themselves in a new territory in Oklahoma. He dealt successfully with U.S. government representatives and helped guide some reforms in federal treatment of the country's Native Americans.
- When White Eagle died in 1914, his son, Horse Chief Eagle, became the last official hereditary Ponca chief. He held this position until his death in January 1940. Horse Chief Eagle carried out his official duties as chief but also assumed numerous ceremonial and honorary duties, including leading parades and enjoying a place of honor at special festivities. He continued his father's legacy of developing and improving the new Ponca homeland in what is now Kay County, Oklahoma.
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