Little People, Big Dreams: Wilma Mankiller

This is the story of the incredible life of Wilma Mankiller, the first female leader of the Cherokee Nation and dedicated activist and eco-warrior.

Born to a family who had been forced to walk the ‘Trail of Tears’ by the US government, leaving their ancestral homes behind to live in state-sanctioned ‘Indian territory’, Wilma and her siblings grew up poor and from fractured roots. After a new government initiative persuaded her family to  move to San Francisco, Wilma was teased by white children who made fun of her name. Nevertheless, she became inspired by the protests held by Native Americans as they fought for the right to their ancestral lands and to fair treatment by the government, and carried this passion into her adult life.

Later, this inspiration and dedication to activism led Wilma to become the Cherokee Nation’s first ever female Chief, where she continued to fight for indigenous freedoms and environmental protections for the rest of her days.

The Little People, Big Dreams series brings the often untold stories of amazing people into the light for younger children, and this brightly illustrated picture book is sure to be read and re-read for years to come. Simple text and memorable facts, as well as photographs and a historical timeline at the back, encourage young readers to be inspired by Wilma Mankiller’s amazing life, many of whom may have never heard her story before.