The Chickasaw Nation Silver Feather Award was established in 1999 to honor Chickasaws who have committed their lives to the presentation and preservation of Chickasaw culture, language and way of life.
These rare individuals have taken steps to pass along their unique knowledge to a younger generation of Chickasaws. They have committed themselves to activities in their daily lives that bring awareness to Chickasaw people.
The name of the award is appropriate, because the feather is one of the most honored gifts that a First American can receive. Silver was chosen because of its endurance and captivating shine that caught the eye of Chickasaw ancestors more than 500 years ago and became a much sought after trade item.
Silver Feather Award Recipients
- Adam Walker, 1999
- Pauline Walker, 2000
- Charlie Carter, 2001
- Juanita Byars, 2002
- Sim Greenwood, 2003
- Geneva Holman, 2004
- Leerene Frazier, 2005
- Rose Jefferson, 2006
- Stanley Smith, 2007
- Marie Beck, 2008
- Jerry Underwood, 2009
- Catherine Pickens Willmond, 2010
- Weldon Fulsom, 2011
- Emma McLeod, 2012
- Jerry Imotichey, 2013
- Virginia Alexander Bolen, 2014
- Sam Johnson, 2015
- Sue Fish, 2016
- Daniel Worchester, 2017
- Pauline Brown, 2018
- Harold Stick, 2019
- Glenda Galvan, 2020
- Gene Underwood, 2021
- Merry Monroe, 2022
- Gene Nashoba Thompson, 2023