By Mirella Flores
Betty Mae Tiger Jumper honored as one of the 2016 National Women’s History Month Honorees for her life-long commitment to improving the livelihood and commemorate the traditions of her tribe, the Seminole tribe of Florida. Here is why Tiger Jumper is a significant woman of history.
Tiger Jumper was born to an indigenous Seminole mother and a French father. Being a mixed race child, Tiger Jumper’s life was almost ended because the Seminole Nation law at the time demanded that any children born to such union were to be put to death. To escape such faith, Tiger Jumper’s family had to move away from the Nation, which meant leaving their support system and moving to Dania, Florida, a White community. Tiger Jumper faced numerous challenged seeking education outside the Nation. She was denied from segregated schools for being “White” and from White schools for being Native. However, Tiger Jumper persevered and convinced her mother to allow her to attend a Native American boarding school in Cherokee, North Carolina. Tiger Jumper excelled in school and became the first historically known Seminole to read and write in English, and to graduate high school.
Tiger Jumper continued her education and became the first Seminole nurse (on paper). Upon graduating, she returned to her community and worked to improve the healthcare and access to it. Tiger Jumper was the first to initiate the beginnings of the Indian Health Care Program, which extended multiple healthcare services to Natives.
As her efforts become more and more recognized, Tiger Jumper became the first woman to serve on the Seminole Council. In this position, Tiger Jumper worked towards a more organized Nation government. Her efforts led to the Seminole Nation of Florida obtaining Federal recognition in 1957. This victory proved Tiger Jumpers’ great leadership, which lead to her being elected to the Board of Directors.
If you have not noticed, “first” is a usual term for describing Tiger Jumper, as one “first” leads to another. Tiger Jumper’s commitment to empowering and uplifting her community led to her receiving one of the greatest honors in her community- the first Seminole woman to be elected chair of the Seminole Nation Council. As the Chair of the Council, Tiger Jumper brought her community financial surplus and began the Nation’s first newspaper, Seminole Times. Tiger Jumper was also one of the two Native women appointed by President Nixon to serve on the National Congress on Indian Opportunity. Tiger Jumper used this position to create the United South and Eastern Tribes, which is a powerful lobbying group that represents southern Nations.
Tiger Jumper came a long way from almost dying to becoming her tribe’s Chief. She became a respected elder in her community and a Nation storyteller. Tiger Jumper took her recounting of Seminole history and wrote several books, such as Legends of the Seminoles.