Young Bear
Young Bear was a significant figure within the Fox Nation, known as the last chief to carry his name. He was the son of Pushetonequa and took a strong stance on preserving Fox culture during a time of increasing external pressures. Concerned about the erosion of tribal customs due to American educational policies and the impacts of racial intermarriage, Young Bear actively promoted the revival of traditional practices. His efforts included recording tribal legends and supporting the arts and crafts of the Fox people, highlighting the importance of cultural continuity. Young Bear's advocacy reflected a deep commitment to his community's heritage and identity. He passed away in 1933, just before a shift in U.S. policy aimed at revitalizing Indian cultures through the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 initiated by President Franklin D. Roosevelt and John Collier. His legacy is a reminder of the ongoing struggle for cultural preservation among Indigenous peoples.
Young Bear
- Born: c. 1868
- Birthplace: Iowa
- Died: 1933
- Place of death: Tama County, Iowa
Category: Tribal chief
Tribal affiliation: Fox
Significance: During the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries, when official government policy called for Indian assimilation, Young Bear advocated revitalization of Indian traditions
The last of several Fox chiefs to bear the name, Young Bear was the son of Pushetonequa. Fearing the diminution of Fox culture, Young Bear encouraged the Fox to restore their tribal customs. To that end, he recorded tribal legends and sponsored a revival of traditional arts and crafts. He bemoaned the U.S. government’s intervention in educating Indian children, fearing that white education combined with racial intermarriage would result in the death of Fox culture.
Young Bear died in 1933, a year before President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his commissioner of Indian Affairs, John Collier, instituted a policy of Indian revitalization embodied in the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934.