Joe Medicine Crow, Last Surviving Tribal War Chief and Historian, Dies at 102

Joe Medicine Crow, the last war chief of the Crow Tribe and a revered Native American historian, died on Sunday at age 102.

Medicine Crow, a member of Montana's Crow Tribe, was born on October 27, 1913 near Lodge Grass, southeastern Montana, and was raised on the Crow Reservation in the state. He would later serve in World War II in Europe.

As a historian, his expertise was in the Battle of Little Bighorn and he was the "last living person with a direct oral history from a participant" of the battle, according to the U.S. National Park Service. Medicine Crow's grandfather, White Man Runs Him, was a scout with General George Custer, who died during the battle in 1876.

In 1948, Medicine Crow was appointed Crow Tribal Historian and Anthropologist, and he was later declared the last Crow War Chief. In order to earn the title of War Chief, Medicine Crow had to undertake four tasks, which he did during World War II: touch an enemy without killing him; steal a horse; lead a successful war party; and disarm an enemy.

He was presented with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2009 and was nominated for the Congressional Gold Medal. Medicine Crow was the first person in his tribe to earn a master's degree, which he received in anthropology from the University of Southern California in 1939.

Montana Senator Jon Tester tweeted on Sunday: "When you spoke with Joe Medicine Crow, it was impossible not to be inspired." In a statement, Montana Governor Steve Bullock said Medicine Crow's legacy "will forever serve as an inspiration for all Native Americans—an all Montanans."

Details about Medicine Crow's funeral service are to be announced later on Monday.