STANDING BEAR WAS ARRESTED FOR TRYING TO GO HOME – THEN HIS CASE FORCED A U.S. COURT TO DECIDE IF A NATIVE MAN WAS A “PERSON”

By 1879 he had a long Army career that included operations involving Native nations.

In another kind of historical story, he might have appeared simply as the officer sent to capture a “renegade” band.

Instead, his role became much stranger.

He obeyed the order.

And then he helped create the conditions under which the order could be challenged.

The Army detained Standing Bear and his companions at Fort Omaha.