Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance
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Chief Buffalo Child Long Lance (born Sylvester Clark Long; December 1, 1890 – March 20, 1932) was an African-American journalist, writer and film actor who, for a time, became internationally prominent as a spokesman for Native American causes. He published an autobiography, purportedly based on his experience as the son of a Blackfoot chief. He was the first presumed Native American admitted to the Explorers Club in New York City.
Buffalo Child Long Lance | |
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Born | Sylvester Clark Long 1 December 1890 Winston-Salem, North Carolina, U.S. |
Died | March 20, 1932(1932-03-20) (aged 41) Los Angeles, California, U.S. |
Pen name | Long Lance |
Occupation | Journalist, writer |
Nationality | American |
Education | Carlisle Indian School St. John's Military Academy |
Genre | Journalism, autobiography |
Notable works | Long Lance |
Notable awards | Admitted to The Explorers Club |
In reality it is uncertain if he was truly Native; he had claimed to be of mixed Cherokee, white and black heritage, at a time when Southern society imposed strict binary divisions of heritage in a racially-segregated society. After his tribal claims were unable to be verified and the truth about his African-American heritage came out, he was dropped by these same social circles to which he had gained entry.[1]