Chief Standing Bear, (sculpture).

Chief Standing Bear, (sculpture).

Joe, Oreland C., sculptor.

Bronze Smith, founder.

Chief Standing Bear, (sculpture).

Commissioned 1995. 1996. Installed Oct. 14, 1996. Dedicated Oct. 26, 1996.

Sculpture: bronze; Base: sandstone or limestone.

Approx. H. 22 ft. (3,500 lbs.).

(On plaque:) "MY HAND IS NOT THE COLOR OF YOURS, BUT IF I PIERCE IT, I SHALL/FEEL PAIN. IF YOU PIERCE YOU HAND, YOU ALSO FEEL PAIN. THE/BLOOD THAT WILL FLOW FROM MINE WILL BE OF THE SAME COLOR AS/YOURS. I AM A MAN. THE SAME GOD MADE US BOTH."/WITH THESE WORDS PONCA CHIEF STANDING BEAR CONVINCED A FEDERAL/JUDGE THAT AMERICAN INDIANS WERE PERSONS UNDER U.S. LAW, ENTITLED/TO THE SAME FREEDOMS AS OTHER PEOPLES. WE HONOR HIM AS ONE/OF OUR FIRST CIVIL RIGHTS LEADERS, WHO WON A MAJOR BATTLE FOR ALL/NATIVE AMERICANS NOT ON A BATTLEFIELD BUT IN A COURTROOM./FORCED BY FEDERAL TROOPS IN 1877 TO LEAVE THEIR NEBRASKA HOMELAND/FOR INDIAN TERRITORY, THE PONCA TRIBE LOST ONE THIRD OF ITS MEMBERS/DURING THE FORCED MARCH AND DIFFICULT ADJUSTMENTS TO A STRANGE/LAND. FIRST MOVED TO THE QUAPAW RESERVATION IN NORTHEASTERN/OKLAHOMA, THE PONCAS WERE MOVED AGAIN IN 1878 TO THE LAND/BETWEEN THE SALT FORK AND ARKANSAS RIVERS. MANY DIED FROM/INADEQUATE FOOD AND HOUSING IN THE "WARM LANDS." STANDING/BEAR KEPT A PROMISE TO HIS DYING SON BY RETURNING THE BOY TO/NEBRASKA FOR BURIAL, IN DEFIANCE OF A GOVERNMENT ORDER AGAINST/MOVEMENT FROM THE TRIBE'S ASSIGNED LANDS. STANDING BEAR'S/ELOQUENT SELF-DEFENSE LED TO JUDGE DUNDY'S HISTORIC DECISION./DEDICATED OCTOBER 26, 1996/SCULPTOR, ORELAND C. JOE, C.A./STANDING BEAR NATIVE AMERICAN MEMORIAL PARK/PONCA CITY NATIVE AMERICAN FOUNDATION, INC. unsigned

Full-length figure of Chief Standing Bear is installed on a circular plaza with sandstone benches. He wears a native blanket, loop earrings, beads and a bear claw necklace. He also wears a Native-American breastplate on which hangs a Presidential medal. His hair is in two ponytails with a single feather and his proper right hand is outstretched. An eagle feather fan rests on his proper left arm. The figure faces east and overlooks the Arkansas River.

Portrait male -- Standing Bear, Chief -- Full length

Ethnic -- Indian -- Ponca

Dress -- Ethnic -- Indian Dress

Occupation -- Other -- Chief

Outdoor Sculpture -- Oklahoma -- Ponca City

Administered by Ponca City Native American Foundation Inc., P. O. Box 111, Ponca City, Oklahoma 74602

Located Standing Bear Native American Memorial Park, U.S. 60 & U.S. 177, Ponca City, Oklahoma

Commissioned by the Ponca City Native American Foundation for $500,000 as part of a larger park project. The sculpture honors Chief Standing Bear, a Ponca Chief who successfully argued in federal court that American Indians are entitled to the same protections under the law as white men. Chief Standing Bear had been arrested in 1879 for returning to his old homeland in northeastern Nebraska to bury his son. Other tribes involved in the project were the Tonkawa, Pawnee, Otoe-Missouria, Kaw and Osage. The Oklahoma Department of Transportation gave $300,000, Bank IV gave $25,000 and Conoco Inc. provided the purchase price of the land and technical and financial assistance. Other corporate sponsors include Pioneer Bank and First National Bank. Sales of 100 limited editions and 60 collectors editions of the statue raised funds in addition to public subscription.

IAS files contain related articles from the Ponca City News and the Daily Oklahoman, press releases, an invitation to the dedication and a pamphlet from the Ponca City Native American Foundation.

Save Outdoor Sculpture, Oklahoma survey, 1996.

The information provided about this artwork was compiled as part of the Smithsonian American Art Museum's Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture database, designed to provide descriptive and location information on artworks by American artists in public and private collections worldwide.

Inventories of American Painting and Sculpture, Smithsonian American Art Museum, P.O. Box 37012, MRC 970, Washington, D.C. 20013-7012

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