White Bull

White Bull (Lakota: Tȟatȟáŋka Ská; April 1849 – June 21, 1947) was the nephew of Sitting Bull, and a famous warrior in his own right. White Bull participated in the Battle of the Little Bighorn on June 25, 1876.

For other uses, see White Bull (disambiguation).
White Bull
Tȟatȟáŋka Ská
Personal details
BornApril 1849
Black Hills
DiedJune 21, 1947(1947-06-21) (aged 98)
South Dakota
RelationsBrother, One Bull; uncle, Sitting Bull; Floris White Bull
Parent(s)Father, Makes Room

Early life

Born in the Black Hills in South Dakota, White Bull came from a prominent Sioux family. He was the son of Makes Room, a Miniconjou chief and the brother of One Bull. After the battle, White Bull joined his uncle, Hunkpapa Sioux leader Sitting Bull, while fleeing to Canada. Also, young Chief Solomon "Smoke" and Chief No Neck (Lakota: Tȟahú Waníče) (these two chiefs were the sons of the old Chief Smoke 1774–1864), fled with White Bull and Sitting Bull and their bands to Canada.

Little Bighorn

For years it was rumored that White Bull boasted of killing Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer at the infamous battle. However, others who knew White Bull claim that he never made that statement but instead admitted to struggling with Custer.[1][2]

White Bull surrendered to government troops in 1876. He eventually became a chief, replacing his father Chief Makes Room upon his death. He acted as a judge of the Court of Indian Offenses, and was a proponent of Lakota land claims in the Black Hills. White Bull died in South Dakota in 1947.

White Bull's relationship to his uncle made him an important contributor to Stanley Vestal's biography of Sitting Bull.

White Bull, played by Sal Mineo, was used as a character in the 1958 Disney Western adventure film Tonka.

References
  1. Stanley Vestal, "The Man Who Killed Custer" American Heritage Magazine, February 1957, Volume 8, Issue 2
  2. Levin, Sam (2017-02-15). "'Opportunity for healing': General Custer's relative visits Standing Rock". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 2023-04-23.

Further reading
  • Stanley Vestal, Warpath: The True Story of the Fighting Sioux Told in a Biography of Chief White Bull (University of Nebraska Press, First Bison Book printing, 1984) ISBN 0-8032-9601-0
  • The Warrior Who Killed Custer: The Personal Narrative of Chief Joseph White Bull. Translated and Edited By James H. Howard. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1968.
  • Lakota Warrior: A Personal Narrative. Edited by James H. Howard. Lincoln: University of Nebraska Press, 1998.
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