New member - Info on Chief Black Bear

[redwolf]

I am interested in tracing information about Chief Black Bear, an Oglala Sioux who was at the Battle of Little Big Horn in 1876. He later signed 2 treaties at Pine Ridge Reservation on 2nd Nov 1880 and 18th Jan 1881. I suspect he later traveled to Italy (Milan, Verona, Venice) with the Buffalo Bill Wild West show in 1890 but cannot find any reference to him in any of the photos, yet I suspect he settled in Italy towards the later part of his life. He is referenced in 'Crazy Horse – A Lakota Life', written by Kingsley Bray where he was one of the 14 Oglala Chiefs summoned by Colonel Bradley to assist in the arrest of Crazy Horse. There is a portrait of him taken circa 1899 in the Denver Public Library collection. I’m very interested in any leads people might have on life history and that of his descendants.

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[Dietmar]

Welcome redwolf,

what makes this a good but difficult question is that there are many Lakota with the name Black Bear. Some photographs of different men instantly come to my mind. Let´s try to sort them out.

Best wishes

Dietmar

[redwolf]

Hi Dietmar,

Other information that may help is that he was around 6 foot 3 inches (190 cm) in height so he was quite noticeable; he had a number of wives; was of similar elk to Sitting Bull in that apart from being a Chief, he as also a Shaman/medicine man/spiritual leader. His father was also a Chief but was more interested in commerce i.e. trading with the white traders of the time than in spiritual learning.

Hope that helps the search.

Regards redwolf