John Denyer Red Eagle (September 21, 1948 – January 12, 2024) was an American Osage politician who served as the principal chief of the

Osage Nation The Osage Nation ( ) () is a Midwestern Native American nation of the Great Plains. The tribe began in the Ohio and Mississippi river valleys around 1620 A.D along with other groups of its language family, then migrated west in the 17th cen ...

between June 2010 and his removal from office in January 2014. He also served as the assistant principal chief from 2006 to 2010.

Biography

John Denyer Red Eagle was born in Bartlesville, Oklahoma on September 21, 1948, to Edward Red Eagle and Virginia Logan. His family, members of the Eagle Clan, included two former Osage Nation Chiefs, his father and grandfather Paul Red Eagle. John D. Red Eagle grew up in

Osage County, Oklahoma Osage County () is the largest county by area in the U.S. state of Oklahoma. Created in 1907 when Oklahoma was admitted as a state, the county is named for and is home to the federally recognized Osage Nation. The county is coextensive with t ...

and was raised in the

Native American church The Native American Church (NAC), also known as Peyotism and Peyote Religion, is a Syncretism, syncretic Native American religion that teaches a combination of traditional Native Americans in the United States, Native American beliefs and eleme ...

. Both of his parents were " full blood" Osage and members of the Osage Nation. He graduated from

Pawhuska High School Pawhuska Public Schools (PPS) is a school district headquartered in Pawhuska, Oklahoma. It includes Pawhuska, Nelagoney, and a small portion of Pershing. David Cash was the superintendent until his retirement in 2023. Cash continued to work fo ...

in 1967 and then attended

Oklahoma State University Oklahoma State University (informally Oklahoma State or OSU) is a public land-grant research university in Stillwater, Oklahoma, United States. The university was established in 1890 under the legislation of the Morrill Act. Originally known ...

before graduating from Colorado Community College. He later earned another bachelor's degree from the

University of Oklahoma The University of Oklahoma (OU) is a Public university, public research university in Norman, Oklahoma, United States. Founded in 1890, it had existed in Oklahoma Territory near Indian Territory for 17 years before the two territories became the ...

. He later worked as a medical technician for 32 years. He served as the assistant chief of the Osage Nation between 2006 and 2010 and was elected as principal chief in June 2010. On January 21, 2014, Red Eagle was impeached on five of six counts and removed from office after a trial presided by Justice Jeanine Logan of the Osage Nation Supreme Court. He was also barred from ever holding office again in the nation, and replaced by Assistant chief Scott Bighorse. Red Eagle had been running for re-election before he was banned from holding office. Red Eagle died in Tulsa on January 12, 2024.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Red Eagle, John 1948 births 2024 deaths 21st-century American politicians 21st-century Native American politicians People from Osage County, Oklahoma Principal Chiefs of the Osage Nation