Thomas L. Sloan

Thomas Louis Sloan (14 May 1863– 10 September 1940) was a Native American lawyer. In 1911, he helped found the Society of American Indians.[1]

Thomas L. Sloan at Hampton Institute, c.1889

Biography

Thomas was born in St. Louis, Missouri on May 14, 1863. His mother and father were both Native Americans At a young age, he became an orphan and lived with his paternal grandmother, Margaret Sloan. Together they lived at the Omaha Indian Reservation in Nebraska, as his family was fully from the Omaha tribe.[2]

He was sent to the Hampton Institute in Virginia in 1886 and graduated as valedictorian in 1889. After graduating, he refused to go to Yale Law School, and instead he studied with Hiram Chase.[3]

Career

In 1892, he was admitted to the Nebraska Bar and specialized in cases involving Native Americans. In 1901, Sloan was elected mayor of Pender, Nebraska.[3]

In 1904, Thomas filed a Supreme Court case concerning the rights of Native Americans. The case decided in his favor. Eight years later he opened a law office in Washington D.C., which was the first law firm owned by a Native American.[1]

References
  1. E. Hoxie, Frederick. "Four American Indian Heroes You've Never Heard Of". American Indian Magazine. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  2. "Sloan, Thomas Louis (14 May 1863–10 September 1940)". American National Biography. Retrieved 2020-06-17.
  3. "Thomas Sloan, attorney". Omaha Tribal Historical Research Project.


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