Muscogee Daughter: My Sojourn to the Miss America Pageant (American Indian Lives)

How American is Miss America? For Susan Supernaw, a Muscogee (Creek) and Munsee Native American, the question wasn’t just academic. Throughout a childhood clouded by poverty, alcoholism, and abuse, Supernaw sought escape in school and dance and the Native American Church. She became a presidential scholar, won a scholarship to college, and was crowned Miss Oklahoma in 1971. Supernaw might not have won the Miss America pageant that year, but she did call attention to the Native peoples living largely invisible lives throughout their own American land. And she did at long last earn her Native American name. Chronicling a quest to escape poverty and find meaning, Supernaw’s story is revealing, humorous, and deeply moving. Muscogee Daughter is the story of finding a Native American identity among the distractions and difficulties of American life and of discerning an identity among competing notions of what it is to be a woman, a Native American, and a citizen of the world. How American is Miss America? For Susan Supernaw, a Muscogee (Creek) and Munsee Native American, the question wasn’t just academic. Throughout a childhood clouded by poverty, alcoholism, abuse, and a physical disability, Supernaw sought escape in school and dance and the Native American Church. She became a presidential scholar, won a scholarship to college, and was crowned Miss Oklahoma in 1971. Supernaw might not have won the Miss America pageant that year, but she did call attention to the Native peoples living largely invisible lives throughout their own American land. And she did at long last earn her Native American name. Chronicling a quest to escape poverty and find meaning, Supernaw’s story is revealing, humorous, and deeply moving. Muscogee Daughter is the story of finding a Native American identity among the distractions and difficulties of American life and of discerning an identity among competing notions of what it is to be a woman, a Native American, and a citizen of the world. How American is Miss America? For Susan Supernaw, a Muscogee (Creek) and Munsee Native American, the question wasn’t just academic. Throughout a childhood clouded by poverty, alcoholism, and abuse, Supernaw sought escape in school and dance and the Native American Church. She became a presidential scholar, won a scholarship to college, and was crowned Miss Oklahoma in 1971. Supernaw might not have won the Miss America pageant that year, but she did call attention to the Native peoples living largely invisible lives throughout their own American land. And she did at long last earn her Native American name. Chronicling a quest to escape poverty and find meaning, Supernaw’s story is revealing, humorous, and deeply moving. __Muscogee Daughter__ is the story of finding a Native American identity among the distractions and difficulties of American life and of discerning an identity among competing notions of what it is to be a woman, a Native American, and a citizen of the world. As the first Native American to win the title of Miss Oklahoma, Supernaw earned the right to enter the Miss America pageant. Her story goes much deeper, delving into how she acquired the knowledge and love of her Native traditions, nurtured by mentors from her grandma who takes her to stomp dances to members of the Native American Church who recognize her talents, which shine despite the abusive household in which she was raised Family Genealogy -- Blessings Inside A Tipi -- Jimmy -- Bozo -- Horse Crazy -- A New Name -- Metamorphosis -- Sewer Rats -- Beef Noodle -- Susie Q -- Super Sue -- Tomorrow's Leader -- Coming Home -- Scorpio Sue -- Superstar Supernaw -- The Barefoot Queen -- The Indian Queen -- Dancing Feet -- Ellia Ponna. Susan Supernaw ; Foreword By Geary Hobson. Includes Bibliographical References (p. [203]-233). The life of a young Native American woman who overcame a childhood of poverty, physical disability, and abuse to become Miss Oklahoma and eventually earn her Native American name.