top of page
Writer's pictureNotes From The Frontier

A Modern-Day Tribute to Chief Joseph

Updated: Sep 13, 2023

Chief Joseph's magnificent legacy lives on in the Chief Joseph Foundation today. I'm proud that I have been able to help their mission.

I am so excited to share with Notes from the Frontier readers that I landed a Spirit Aligned grant of $175,000 for the Chief Joseph Foundation! As a writer, I've been volunteering grant-writing to the Chief Joseph Foundation to show my gratitude for their support of my upcoming novel, Blood to Rubies, about Chief Joseph and the 1877 Nez Perce War.

This grant was awarded to Nez Perce elder Bonnie Ewing (shown below to right of the circle map) and her granddaughter Lucy Samuels (middle, left). Both Nez Perce women trace their lineage back to Chief Twisted Hair who saved Lewis & Clark from starvation & freezing to death, built canoes for the expedition and showed them the way to the Northwest Passage.

Bonnie Ewing, now 84 years old, is a magnificent Nimiipuu elder who is passing down her traditional tribal knowledge to her granddaughter. She is an amazing Nez Perce woman who has ridden the Chief Joseph Trail Ride 28 times, taking Nez Perce youth along the path and showing them the battlefields where Joseph and his people fought to remain free. Retracing Joseph's path and that arduous 1,500-mile exodus, fighting and outsmarting the U.S. Army nearly all the way, is a crucial rite of passage for many Nez Perce youth.

To date, I have brought in $300,000 in grants for the Chief Joseph Foundation. You can learn more about the work that Bonnie does and the amazing mission of the Chief Joseph Foundation at: www.ChiefJosephFoundation.org


You may enjoy these related posts:

- In Honor of Chief Joseph

https://www.notesfromthefrontier.com/post/in-honor-of-chief-joseph

-The Chief Joseph Trail Ride

-The History of Appaloosas


"A Modern-Day Tribute to Chief Joseph" was first posted May 21, 2022 on Facebook and NotesfromtheFrontier.com


© 2022 NOTES FROM THE FRONTIER




217 views0 comments

Comments


Deborah Hufford

Author, Notes from the Frontier

Deborah Hufford is an award-winning author and magazine editor with a passion for history. Her popular NotesfromtheFrontier.com blog with 100,000+ readers has led to an upcoming novel! Growing up as an Iowa farmgirl, rodeo queen and voracious reader, her love of land, lore and literature fired her writing muse. With a Bachelor's in English and Master's in Journalism from the University of Iowa, she taught students of Iowa's Writer's Workshop, then at Northwestern University, Marquette and Mount Mary. Her extensive publishing career began at Better Homes & Gardens, includes credits in New York Times Magazine, New York Times, Connoisseur, many other titles, and serving as publisher of The Writer's Handbook

 

Deeply devoted to social justice, especially for veterans, women, and Native Americans, she has served on boards and donated her fundraising skills to Chief Joseph Foundation, Missing & Murdered Indigenous Women (MMIW), Homeless Veterans Initiative, Humane Society, and other nonprofits.  

 

Deborah's soon-to-be released historical novel, BLOOD TO RUBIES weaves indigenous and pioneer history, strong women and clashing worlds into a sweeping saga praised by NYT bestselling authors as "crushing," "rhapsodic," "gritty," and "sensuous." Purchase BLOOD TO RUBIES online beginning June 9. Connect with Deborah on DeborahHufford.com, Facebook, and Instagram.

  • Deborah Hufford on Facebook
  • Deborah Hufford on Instagram
  • Deborah Hufford's Official Website
deborah hufford.webp
bottom of page