Charles A. Eastman

Charles A. Eastman
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Abstract
Charles Alexander Eastman is a Dakota author credited for his works that facilitated understanding of the native Americans. He explores the two worlds he lived, during his childhood and later during adulthood in his works. The challenges he encountered in his early life prepared him for his future profession. He remains a relevant figure in the history of American Indian activism. Although he is considered a great philosopher by the contemporary world, his achievements and devotion have been dismissed by the Indian scholars due to his views which favored assimilation of western culture in the native culture. He also preferred for the maintenance of identity within the two sides. He differed with his wife on opinion concerning the adoption of western culture as his wife preferred the seclusion of native communities from western influence, which allegedly destroyed their marriage. The paper, therefore, sought to examine in detail the early life and success works of Charles Eastman through intensive research on his life.

 
Charles A. Eastman
Charles Alexander Eastman, also known as Ohiyesa before converting to Christianity was born in 1858 in Minnesota; the United States near Redwood Falls. He had four siblings. His mother died shortly after his birth. His mother changed her name from Wakantankawin to Mary Nancy Eastman and his father Ite Wakanhdi changed his to Jacob Eastman after converting to Christianity (Wiget, 1994).

Charles was raised by his grandmother in Minnesota, his homeland after being separated from his father and siblings during the 1862 Sioux uprising. His remaining community fled to Manitoba where he lived the native nomadic life for eleven years. His father, who was assumed dead reappeared and took his youngest son with him to Flandreau, Dakota Territory. This was a turning point for the young Eastman as he left things he knew, his wild native ways and traditions to start an entirely different new life in the United States. Eastman was enrolled for formal schooling, and he finished his education at Boston Medical School with a degree in medicine in 1890 (MNopedia, 2016).
After school, Eastman began his first job as a government doctor at Pine Ridge in South Dakota. While there, he met and married Elaine Goodale, who was a teacher and also a writer with whom he had six children. He left Pine Ridge and practiced medical practice at Crow Creek reservation but resigned after a conflict with the management after two years. In 1902, Eastman compiled stories from his childhood and published his first book with the help of his wife who was the editor. The book was called the Indian boyhood, and it was well received (Wiget, 1994). He was encouraged by the popularity and success of his first book which prompted him to publish 13 books, two of them co-written with his wife. He took a job to help the Dakota in establishing well translated English family names.
Eastman traveled widely and became renowned speaker due to his success in the publishing sector. He became an Indian advisor for the America Boy Scouts and assisted Earnest Thompson in organizing and establishing the scout in an American Indian manner (Witalec,1994). Through this motivation, he established a children summer camp in New Hampshire. Eastman and his wife separated permanently in 1921 after years of unhappiness when their youngest daughter died (MNopedia, 2016). He stopped publishing but continued with his job as a lecturer. He gradually secluded himself from the white society and bought a cabin in upstate New York woods. While visiting his son in Detroit, Michigan in 1939, Charles Eastman died as a result of heart complications. (MNopedia, 2016).
Charles Eastman made significant accomplishments throughout his life. He was the most outspoken Indian of his day, and importantly, he facilitated the understanding of the American Indian religion and philosophy. He was the first Native American awarded the for the most distinguished achievement. He became the president of the American Indian organization and was also involved in several organizations which attempted to better the lives of various Indian tribes. Eastman was also one of the founders of American boy scouts. Furthermore, he was chosen a representative of the Native American at the Universal Races Congress in London where he emphasized peace and harmony with nature (Witalec,1994). During his last days, Eastman frequented his visits to the traditional Dakota communities for study purposes but unfortunately due to his death, the work was not published.

References
MNopedia, Minnesota Historical Society. “Eastman, Charles Alexander (Ohiyesa),
(1858–1939).” Accessed November 12, 2016. http://www.mnopedia.org/person/eastman-charles-alexander-ohiyesa-1858-1939
Wiget, Andrew (Ed.) (1994). Dictionary of Native American Literature.
Witalec, Janet (Ed.) (1994). Native American Literature.