Ceremony honors Chief Standing Bear with new forever stamp

LINCOLN, Neb. (WOWT) - A ceremony was held in Lincoln to celebrate Chief Standing Bear of the Ponca Tribe and the release of a new forever stamp.

Chief Standing Bear is remembered as the Nebraska-Ponca Tribe leader who championed Native American 14th Amendment rights.

In 1877 the federal government forcibly moved roughly 700 Ponca from their homeland in the Niobrara River Valley, in what is now northeastern Nebraska. Standing Bear and 29 other Ponca were arrested after attempting to return to their homeland.

Standing Bear sued the government and in 1879 ended up winning the landmark court case that ultimately ruled that a Native American was a person under the law with an inherent right to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.

A ceremony held on Friday, May 12, in Lincoln, marked the release of the new stamp featuring a portrait of Chief Standing Bear.

The U.S. Postal Service says 18 million of the new stamps have been printed and they can be purchased online or through a local Post Office.

In attendance at the ceremony was The Honorable Anton G. Hajjar, vice chairman, with U.S. Postal Service Board of Governors; Candace Schmidt, chairwoman of Ponca Tribe of Nebraska; Judi M. gaiashkibos, executive director of the Nebraska Commission on Indian Affairs; Steve Laravie Jr., a descendent of Chief Standing Bear; Joseph Starita, author of “I am a man: Chief Standing Bear’s Journey for Justice; and Maggie Stuckey-Ross, parks the recreation director of the City of Lincoln.

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