When Shirley Chisholm (in 1972) and then Hillary Clinton (in 2008, and again in 2016) ran for president, there was great excitement. Indeed, electing the “first woman” to the Office of the President would be an important milestone. Yet, ndigenous women have long held positions of leadership, including the position of President, Chairperson, or Chief, among other titles, within their Native nations.

In this unit of study, we describe how students in grades 3–5 can learn about and from Indigenous women changemakers and their professions, communities, and Native nations.