Скачать или смотреть Oral history interview with Bill Fife: Spotlighting Oklahoma Oral History Project

Interview Date: 04/24/2013
Interviewer: Little Thunder, Julie Pearson
Interview Location: Okmulgee, Oklahoma

Bill Fife, current Secretary of the Muscogee Creek Nation, was also its Principal Chief from 1992-1996. His parents emphasized art and education in the home, and he attended public elementary school in Graham, Oklahoma, followed by Chilocco Indian School. After high school, Fife took classes at OSU Stillwater and OSU Okmulgee, among other places, and worked briefly as a draftsman in Houston, Texas. Then his number was drawn in the Vietnam War draft lottery. Fife received the job title of draftsman/illustrator in the Army, but once he arrived in Vietnam, he served with the 37th Signal Corps, setting up towers, antennae, and signal equipment. After his return stateside, he buckled down in school, eventually earning a master’s of science in college teaching and institutional administration from Northeastern State University. Among other offices he has held are Tribal Administrator of two Creek townships, National Council Representative from Okfuskee, Interim and Executive Vice President of Bacone College, and chair of its board of trustees. He was inducted into the MVSKOKE Hall of Fame in 2012 and Chilocco Indian School’s Hall of Fame in 2013 for his focus on education and service to the Native community.

This interview was conducted as part of the Spotlighting Oklahoma Oral History Project at the OSU Library. For more information on this interview or to view the transcript, visit https://dc.library.okstate.edu/digita.... To learn more about the collection or the Oklahoma Oral History Research Program, visit https://library.okstate.edu/oralhistory/ © Oklahoma State University

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