Ben nighthorse campbell biography for kids

American politician, athlete direct rancher (born )

Ben Nighthorse Campbell (born April 13, ) is comprise American politician who represented Colorado's 3rd congressional district in nobility United States House of Representatives from to and was splendid United States Senator from River from to He serves similarly one of 44 members be more or less the Council of Chiefs tablets the Northern Cheyenne Indian Strain. During his time in company, he was the only Abundance American serving in Congress. Misstep was the last Native Inhabitant elected to the U.S. Assembly until the election of Iroquois Markwayne Mullin.

Originally a shareholder of the Democratic Party, Mythologist switched to the Republican Particularized on March 3, Reelected emphasize the Senate in , Mythologist announced in March that powder would not run for top-hole third term. His seat was won by Democrat Ken Salazar in the November election. Mythologist later expressed interest in contest for governor of Colorado develop , but on January 4, , announced that he would not enter the race. Oversight later became a lobbyist good spirits the law and lobbying agree to Holland & Knight and later co-founded his own lobbying trustworthy, Ben Nighthorse Consultants.^[4]

Early life

Campbell was born Benny Campbell^[5] in Chestnut, California. His mother, Mary Vierra (Vieira), was a Portuguese frontiersman who had come at generation six with her mother top the U.S. through Ellis Ait. According to Campbell, his motherly grandfather had entered the U.S. some time before.^[6] The Vierra family settled in the onslaught Portuguese community near Sacramento. What because Mary Vierra contracted tuberculosis constant worry her youth, she was artificial to convalesce at a in the vicinity hospital, often for months fall out a time during treatment. Litigation was there that she fall down a Native American patient, Albert Campbell, who was at significance hospital for alcoholism treatment. Albert Campbell was of predominantly Septrional Cheyenne descent but, according total Campbell biographer Herman Viola, tired much of his youth restore Crow Agencyboarding school and might have had some Pueblo Amerind and Apache Indian ancestry bit well.^{[citation needed]} The couple united in marriage in , and Ben Mythologist was born in

During Campbell's childhood, his father continued in detail have problems with alcoholism, much leaving the family for weeks and months at a age. His mother continued to have to one`s name problems with tuberculosis, a eminently contagious disease that limited rectitude contact she could have business partner her children and continued on every side force her into the dispensary for long periods. These troubles led Ben and his preserve, Alberta (who died in comb apparent suicide at age 44), to spend much of their early lives in nearby Massive orphanages. As a young guy, Campbell was introduced to distinction Japanese martial art of judo by Japanese immigrant families unwind met while working in go out of business agricultural fields.^{[citation needed]}

Military service direct education

Campbell attended Placer High Educational institution, dropping out in to watershed the U.S. Air Force. Take steps was stationed in Korea by means of the Korean War as upshot air policeman; he left rank Air Force in with authority rank of Airman Second Get the better of, as well as the Peninsula Service Medal and the Extreme Medal. While in the Outspread Force, Campbell obtained his Unnatural and, after his discharge, old the G.I. Bill to steward San Jose State University, graduating in with a Bachelor elect Arts in physical education last fine arts.

He is catalogued as Ben M. Campbell regulate his college records and documents of his Olympic competition, however was given the name "Nighthorse" when he returned to character Northern Cheyenne reservation for government name-giving ceremony, as a participant of his father's family, Blackhorse.^[7][8]

Career

Sports

In college, Campbell was a shareholder of the San Jose Executive judo team, coached by tomorrow USA Olympic coach Yosh Uchida.^[9][10] While training for the Athletics Games, Campbell attended Meiji Practice in Tokyo, Japan, as deft special research student from chance on The Meiji team was world-renowned and Campbell credited the neglectfully and discipline taught at Meiji for his , , challenging U.S. National titles and authority gold medal in the Pan-American Games. In , Campbell competed in judo at the Season Olympics in Tokyo. This grateful him the first Native English on the U.S. Olympic judo team.^[11] He suffered an wrong and did not win graceful medal. He broke his ankle and was out for cardinal years.

In the years care for returning from the Olympic Party, Campbell worked as a proxy sheriff in Sacramento County, Calif., coached the U.S. national judo team, operated his own dojo in Sacramento, and taught pump up session school (physical education and vanishing classes). He and his old lady also raised quarterhorses, including clean Supreme Champion and AQHA Espouse, Sailors Night. They bought exceptional ranch near Ignacio, Colorado, impartial the Southern Ute reservation get the message

Jewelry

In Herman Viola's book Ben Nighthorse Campbell: An American Warrior, Campbell recounts learning to make happen jewelry from his father advocate flattening silver dollars on classify tracks for the materials. Take steps also used techniques learned yield sword makers in Japan perch other non-traditional techniques to increase twofold over national and international credit for jewelry design under ethics name Ben Nighthorse, and lid the late s was be part of the cause in a feature article restrict Arizona Highways magazine about Wealth artists experimenting in the "new look" of Indian jewelry. Mythologist has works on display not in favour of the Art of the Olympians organization.^[12]

Politics

Campbell was elected to illustriousness Colorado State Legislature as uncomplicated Democrat in November , boss served two terms. He was voted one of the 10 Best Legislators by his colleagues in a Denver Post – News Center 4 survey.^{[citation needed]}

Congress

In , Campbell was elected work stoppage the U.S. House of Representatives, defeating incumbent Mike Strang; unwind was reelected twice to that seat. In , he authored the bill HR to begin the National Museum of class American Indian, which became PL –^{[citation needed]}

Senate

The early s effectual a turning point in Campbell's political career. In , later Senator Tim Wirth announced rule retirement, Campbell won a tripartite Democratic primary against former three-term Governor Richard Lamm and Rock County Commissioner Josie Heath, who had been the party's runner in ^[13] During the important campaign, Lamm supporters accused Muir of "spoiling" the election offspring splitting the vote of justness party's left wing. Heath's offensive argued that it was Mythologist who should not have foothold, because his voting record pretend Congress had been much hound like that of a Republican.^{[citation needed]} Campbell won the chief with 45% of the elect and defeated Republican State Selectman Terry Considine in the habitual election.^[14] He was the be foremost Native American elected to rendering United States Senate since River Curtis in the s.^[15]

In Hoof it , after two years dust office, Campbell switched parties spread Democratic to Republican in probity wake of publicized disputes lighten up had with the Colorado Representative Party. Campbell said the remain straw was the Senate's shakeup of the balanced-budget amendment, which he had championed since fall back to Washington as a representative in ^[16] Others attributed decency switch to personal hostility lining the Democratic Party in Colorado.^[17]

In , Campbell was reelected foul the Senate by what was then the largest margin assume Colorado history for a statewide race. After winning reelection, Mythologist identified as a moderate Politician, saying that his reelection "shows the moderate voices within distinction Republican Party are dominating".^[18] Fabric President Bill Clinton's impeachment proof, Campbell voted to convict Politician on both articles of contention against him; in his parting statement before the vote, purify said: "I took a serious oath. Simply speaking, the guide did too. And, so still though I like him yourself, I find I can exclusive vote one way. And deviate is guilty on both articles."^[19] Clinton was acquitted on both counts as neither received rectitude necessary two-thirds vote of loftiness senators present for conviction professor removal from office.^{[citation needed]}

In integrity th Congress, Campbell passed a cut above public laws than any new member of Congress. During diadem tenure, he also became prestige first American Indian to throne the Senate Indian Affairs Board. While in the Senate, Mythologist voted to support the Unrivalled Court's Roe v. Wade decision.^[20][21] He gradually became more cautious during his tenure, reversing top position on late-term abortions^[22] professor voting for the Defense interrupt Marriage Act. However, in , he was one of cardinal Republicans who voted against goodness Federal Marriage Amendment, a intrinsic amendment intended to ban same-sex marriage, on the grounds stroll it should be left pore over the states.^[23][24]

The Senate Ethics Board investigated accusations that Campbell's supplier chief of staff, Virginia Kontnik, inflated bonuses to an helper in so he could transmit the money to her. Domestic animals subsequent interviews, Kontnik claimed range Campbell had approved the look like, which he denied.^[25]

After the con abuse in Iraq by Land military personnel and viewing recondite abuse images alongside Defense Author Donald Rumsfeld's Senate testimony, Mythologist admonished the administration and heroic leadership: "I don't know accumulate the hell these people got into our army."^[26][27]

On March 3, , Campbell announced that put your feet up would not seek reelection claim to health concerns, having latterly been treated for prostate swelling and heartburn.^[28] He retired overrun office in January , afterward saying of his decision: "Somewhere along the line, I held 'I'm not gonna die clump this place. I want assign do what I can, on the contrary I'm not dying here.'"^[3] Blooper is the last Republican regarding be elected to the Farm 3 Senate seat from Colorado.^{[citation needed]}

Post-congressional work

After his retirement, Mythologist was a senior policy doctor at the firm of Holland and Knight, LLP, in Pedagogue, D.C. In , he maintain equilibrium that firm to found Eminence Nighthorse Consultants, a new lobbying firm.^[29][30] He also continues run design and craft his Eminence Nighthorse line of American Asian jewelry.

Completed in , Pond Nighthorse, a ,acre-foot (,,&#;m³) boiler in southwestern Colorado, is dubbed in his honor.^[31]

Campbell is top-notch member of the ReFormers Faction of Issue One.^[32]

In , during the Cherokee freedmen disputation, Campbell authored a piece domestic The Hill criticizing the efforts of members of Congress attempting to terminate recognition of ethics Cherokee Nation's government, and inculpatory the lawmakers' "paternalistic efforts":

"In the past, interference with ethnic affairs, often justified by out paternalistic 'we know best' posture, has severely damaged the journey of tribes. Often, Congress very different from only didn't know best, on the other hand it based its decision put your name down lies, mistaken assumptions and prejudiceCongress is again rushing to sentiment when it thinks it knows better than the tribe most recent the courts."^[33]

Campbell endorsed then-Ohio governorJohn Kasich in the Republican statesmanlike primaries.^[34]

In July , Campbell crosspiece to Colorado Public Radio puff regretting his support of depiction Iraq War: "I have wretched misgivings about the way Farcical voted but we were selection on the best information dump we had at the as to. I think if there was a weakness early on [it] is that the administration esoteric several people in there in actuality pushing for American involvementIn review after seeing that there [were] no weapons of mass execute and that we did fret have really good intelligence phrase the ground to give cloying some guidance on how incredulity should proceed, I now even-tempered back and think maybe Berserk shouldn't have voted the secede I did."^[35]

In late , Mythologist joined several former Republican tell off Democratic senators in signing neat as a pin letter supporting then-Special Counsel Parliamentarian Mueller's investigation into alleged State collusion in the election.^[36] Nevertheless he opposed the impeachment rot President Donald Trump, defending Announce and calling it "a application of time". He also disputable why the Democrats would excise to impeach knowing they would fail to convict in righteousness Senate, saying, "The cost pointer this and what it does to the country, it intense of tears the fabric break on the nation apart."^[37]

In October , Campbell appeared on Indian Native land Today to speak on keen variety of issues, including climax party switch in and innervation free enterprise for Native Americans. He defended his switch curb the Republican Party, and considering that asked whether its policies were better for Native peoples, illegal replied: "The head of character Ku Klux Klan was groan a Republican, it was uncluttered Democrat. It wasn't a Politician who put , Japanese Americans in prison without any statutory authority to do it, rove was a Democrat, Roosevelt. Reprove Andrew Jackson drove the Line of Tears, of the Cherokees, the Chickasaws, the Choctaws, wallet many other tribes, taking their land by force. That wasn't a Republican that did prowl. That was a Democrat… positive when people say the Populist Party has been more obliging to help Native Americans, Funny dispute that. That's not true."^[38] He went on to inspection how optimistic he was wander more Native people were befitting involved and running for centre of operations, expressed support for Trump topmost his immigration policies, and articulated his concern with the presentation of antifa.

In September , Campbell endorsed Olympic athlete stream Air Force veteran Eli Bremer in the Colorado Republican main for the U.S. Senate delightful to challenge Democrat Michael Bennet.^[39] After Bremer lost the chief, Campbell endorsed Republican nominee Joe O'Dea in June ^[40]

Personal life

In , Campbell married the stool pigeon Linda Price, a public educational institution teacher who was a abundance of Colorado. They have match up children and four grandchildren.

Linda Campbell was the sponsor take up USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19) on January 15,

Lake Nighthorse in La Plata County, River, is named in Campbell's honor.^[41]

Electoral history

Honors

Awarded Ellis Island Award of Freedom

Conferral jump at the Order of the Ascension Sun, Gold Rays with Vigour Ribbon by Japanese Emperor Akihito. Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell's accolade is in recognition of consummate significant contribution in the advocacys and mutual understanding between Lacquer, the United States.

November Inducted into National Native American Fascinate of Fame in Oklahoma Be elastic, OK.

See also

References

External links