January 24: Birthday of Maria Tallchief (1925)

Written By Notgrass History
 

Prayer Idea

Pray for the people of the Osage Nation (Wahzhazhe).

History Note

Maria Tallchief and her sister Marjorie were members of the Osage Nation. As children they enjoyed attending powwows and experiencing traditional Osage dance and music.

When the family moved to California, their mother enrolled them in a ballet school. Both grew up to become professional ballerinas.

In an art form long dominated by Russians and other Europeans, Maria Tallchief gained recognition as the first prominent prima ballerina from the United States.

The Oklahoma State Capitol building features Flight of Spirit, a painting by Chickasaw artist Mike Larsen. It depicts five ballerinas from native nations in Oklahoma. These include Maria and Marjorie Tallchief (Osage), Rosella Hightower (Choctaw), Moscelyne Larkin (Shawnee-Peoria), and Yvonne Chouteau (Shawnee). Photo by Charlene Notgrass.

Learn More

Learn more about Maria Tallchief’s life in this short video.

See a video clip of Maria Tallchief dancing and find other resources at Homeschool History.

Notgrass History

Notgrass History exists to glorify God by producing materials centered in His Word that help parents train their children to honor God with heart, soul, and mind. Our team of homeschool parents and graduates work together to serve homeschooling families across the country and around the world.

https://notgrass.com
Previous

January 25: First Winter Olympic Games Begin (1924)
Next

January 23: North Korea Captures the USS Pueblo (1968)