10 Chickasaws honored by Inter-Tribal Council

This article appeared in the February 2018 edition of the Chickasaw Times

THACKERVILLE, Okla. – Ten prominent Chickasaw citizens were honored posthumously Jan. 12 for contributions made to the Inter-Tribal Council (ITC) of the Five Civilized Tribes.

More than 30 Native Americans from the Five Civilized Tribes were cited for dedication, work and tireless efforts to improve the lives of indigenous people, their tribes and ITC, the collective voice of more than 750,000 Indian citizens.

Chickasaws honored include former Gov. Overton James; Chickasaw judge Barney Abbott, Jr.; former Lt. Gov. David E. Brown; legislator and Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductee Overton “Buck” Cheadle; Rev. James A. Humes, Chickasaw Hall of Fame inductee and author – with his wife, Vinnie – of the first Chickasaw language dictionary; fluent speaker and former legislator Jerry Imotichey; attorney and member of the Chickasaw Tribal Council Marvin Liddell; Emmett Seeley, elder and Native American advocate; Robert R. Stevens, Hall of Fame inductee, former legislator and the first Chickasaw Nation Gaming Commission chairman; and Dean McManus, legislator and tribal health manager.

Mrs. McManus’ unexpected death in March 2017 moved ITC officials to cite the significant work each contributed to their respective tribes and to the ITC.

The citations will be presented to surviving family members.

Gov. Bill Anoatubby formally presented Mrs. McManus’ daughter, Karen Goodnight, with the honor during the general session of the ITC quarterly meeting.

“Dean McManus was a legislator for the Chickasaw Nation and served on the Inter-Tribal Council. But besides that, she had a distinguished career with the Chickasaw Nation,” Gov. Anoatubby said. “She moved from the position of community health representative through the ranks until she (managed) a whole department.

“She was a great leader and had a real knack in dealing with issues within our communities,” Gov. Anoatubby said.

Mrs. Goodnight was elected to her mother’s vacant seat on the Chickasaw Tribal Legislature in 2017.