Richard Sneed
Richard Sneed | |
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Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians | |
In office May 26, 2017 – October 2, 2023 | |
Preceded by | Patrick Lambert |
Succeeded by | Michell Hicks |
Personal details | |
Born | (1967-12-20) December 20, 1967 (age 56) |
Nationality | Eastern Band Cherokee, American |
Spouses | Trina Sneed (divorced)
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Parent(s) | Richard and Patricia Sneed |
Education |
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Occupation |
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Military service | |
Allegiance | United States |
Branch/service | United States Marine Corps |
Richard G. Sneed (born December 20, 1967) was the 28th Principal Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians.[1] Sneed succeeded former Principal Chief Patrick Lambert following Lambert's impeachment, only the second such impeachment since the 19th century.[2]
Personal life
Richard Sneed is a graduate of Cherokee High School in Cherokee, North Carolina. His family is from the Wolfetown Community of the Qualla Boundary. Sneed is a veteran of the United States Marine Corps, and a graduate of Universal Technical Institute in Phoenix, Arizona, and Southwestern Community College in Sylva, North Carolina. He holds a North Carolina teaching license in industrial arts.
Sneed taught vocational classes at Cherokee High School where he was recognized as National Classroom Teacher of the Year by the National Indian Education Association. Sneed has also served as the senior pastor of the Christ Fellowship Church of Cherokee. Sneed and his ex-wife Trina resided in the Birdtown Community of the Qualla Boundary where they raised their five children.[3][4]
Political career
Sneed began his services as an elected tribal leader for the tribe after winning election as principal vice-chief in September 2015 and assumed office in October 2015.[5] Formerly, Patrick Lambert was serving as the 27th Principal Chief but Sneed began service as principal chief on in May 2017 after his predecessor was impeached and removed by the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians Tribal Council.[6] In September 2017, Yellowhill Tribal Council member Alan B. Ensley assumed the principal vice-chief title left vacant after Sneed became Principal Chief.[7] Speaking to WLOS in 2017, Sneed most recently called for community "healing" following Lambert's removal.[8] Sneed was re-elected as Principal Chief in 2019 for a full-term, but lost reelection in 2023 to former Chief Michell Hicks.[9]
Electoral history
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Richard (Richie) Sneed | 990 | 33.88% | |
Larry Blythe (Incumbent) | 847 | 28.99% | |
Dan McCoy | 652 | 22.31% | |
James (Bud) Smith | 433 | 14.82% |
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Richard (Richie) Sneed | 2,191 | 59.06% | |
Larry Blythe (Incumbent) | 1,516 | 40.94% |
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Teresa McCoy | 1,132 | 42.21% | |
Richard Sneed (Incumbent) | 1,117 | 41.65% | |
Carroll (Peanut) Crowe | 433 | 16.14% |
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Richard Sneed (Incumbent) | 2,131 | 55.11% | |
Teresa McCoy | 1,736 | 44.89% |
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Michell Hicks | 1,075 | 41.73% | |
Richard Sneed (Incumbent) | 548 | 21.27% | |
Robert Saunooke | 441 | 17.11 | |
Gary Ledford | 254 | 9.86 | |
Gene Crowe Jr. | 141 | 5.47 | |
Lori Taylor | 117 | 4.54 |
Candidate | Votes | % | |
---|---|---|---|
Michell Hicks | 2,254 | 65.03% | |
Richard Sneed (Incumbent) | 1,212 | 34.97% |
References
- ^ "Government - Eastern Band of Cherokee". Eastern Band of Cherokee. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ^ "Tribal Council Removes Cherokee Chief From Office". U.S. News & World Report. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ^ "Vice Chief visits SCC, agrees to serve as mentor in new program". Cherokee One Feather. Retrieved November 8, 2017.
- ^ "Richard Sneed, Principal Chief, Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, Biography" (PDF). Congress.gov. Retrieved August 9, 2021.
- ^ "Lambert, Sneed take office". The Cherokee One Feather. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ^ "Tribal Council votes to impeach Cherokee chief". Citizen Times. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ^ Scott McKie (September 18, 2017). "Ensley chosen as Vice Chief". Cherokee One Feather. Retrieved 2017-09-29.
- ^ Hodge, Rex. "New Cherokee chief calls for healing after impeachment of Patrick Lambert". WLOS. Retrieved October 18, 2017.
- ^ a b Kays, Holly (September 8, 2023). "Hicks wins fourth term as Cherokee chief". Smoky Mountain Times. Bryson City, NC. Retrieved September 8, 2023.
- ^ "Unofficial 2015 EBCI Primary Election Results". Cherokee One Feather. June 5, 2015. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
- ^ Kays, Holly (June 7, 2019). "Primary Election results return to Cherokee". Smoky Mountain Times. Bryson City, NC. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
- ^ "Unofficial 2019 EBCI General Election Results". Cherokee One Feather. September 6, 2019. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
- ^ "Unofficial results of the 2023 EBCI Primary Election". Cherokee One Feather. June 1, 2023. Retrieved September 10, 2023.
Preceded by | Chief of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians 2017-2023 | Succeeded by |
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- t
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(pre-1794)
- Outacite (d. 1729)
- Charitey Hagey of Tugaloo (1716–1721)
- Long Warrior of Tanasi (1729–1730)
- Wrosetasetow, "emperor" of the Cherokees until 1730
- Moytoy of Tellico (also known as Ama-edohi)
- Attakullakulla (1708/1711–1780)
- Amouskositte (1741–1753)
- Old Hop (1753–1756)
- Moytoy of Citico (1759–1761)
- Uka Ulah (d. 1761)
- Standing Turkey
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- Oconostota (also known as Ogan'sto', "Groundhog Sausage") (1778–1785)
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- Old Tassel (or "Corntassel," "Tassel," Kaiyatahee) (1783–1788)
- Raven of Chota
- Little Turkey
- opposed by Hanging Maw (or Scolaguta) (served 1788–1794)
(1777–1809)
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- Doublehead, brother of Old Tassel served from 1802–1807
- The Glass, or Ta'gwadihi (1807–1809)
(1794–1839)
- Little Turkey (1794–1801)
- Black Fox (1801–1811)
- Pathkiller (1811–1827)
- Charles R. Hicks (1827), de facto head of government from 1813
- William Hicks (1827–1828)
- John Ross (1828–1839)
- William Hicks (1833–1835)
(1810–1839)
- The Bowl (1810–1813)
- Degadoga (1813–1817)
- Tahlonteeskee (1817–1819)
- John Jolly (1819–1838)
- John Looney (1838–1839)
- John Brown (1839)
- John Looney (1839)
- John Rogers (1839–1840)
Indian Territory (1839–1907)
- John Ross (1839–1862)
- Thomas Pegg, acting principal chief of the Union Cherokee (1862–1863)
- Smith Christie, acting principal chief of the Union Cherokee (1863)
- Lewis Downing, acting principal chief of the Union Cherokee (1864–1866)
- Stand Watie, (1862–1866)
- John Ross (1866)
- William P. Ross (1866–1867)
- Lewis Downing (1867–1872)
- William P. Ross (1872–1875)
- Charles Thompson (1875–1879)
- Dennis Bushyhead (1879–1887)
- Joel B. Mayes (1887–1891)
- C. J. Harris (1891–1895)
- Samuel Houston Mayes (1895–1899)
- Thomas Buffington (1899–1903)
- William Rogers (1903–1905); deposed by the council
- Frank J. Boudinot (1905–1906); also president of the Keetoowah Nighthawk Society
- William Charles Rogers (1906)
Cherokee Indians (1939–present)
- John Hitcher (1939–1946)
- Jim Pickup (1946–1954)
- Jeff Tindle (1954–1960)
- Jim Pickup (1960–1967)
- William Glory (1967–1979)
- James L. Gordon (1979–1983)
- John Hair (1983–1991)
- John Ross (1991–1995)
- Jim Henson (1996–2000)
- Dallas Proctor (2000–2004)
- George Wickliffe (2005–2016)
- Joe Bunch (2016–present)
Oklahoma/Cherokee Nation
(1907–present)
Appointed |
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Elected |
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(1824–present)
- Yonaguska (1824–1839)
- Salonitah, or Flying Squirrel (1870–1875)
- Lloyd R. Welch (1875–1880)
- Nimrod Jarrett Smith (1880–1891)
- Stillwell Saunooke (1891–1895)
- Andy Standing Deer (1895–1899)
- Jesse Reed (1899–1903)
- Bird Saloloneeta, or Young Squirrel (1903–1907)
- John Goins Welch (1907–1911)
- Joseph A. Saunooke (1911–1915)
- David Blythe (1915–1919)
- Joseph A. Saunooke (1919–1923)
- Sampson Owl (1923–1927)
- John A. Tahquette (1927–1931)
- Jarret Blythe (1931–1947)
- Henry Bradley (1947–1951)
- Osley Bird Saunooke (1951–1955)
- Jarret Blythe (1955–1959)
- Olsey Bird Saunooke (1959–1963)
- Jarret Blythe (1963–1967)
- Walter Jackson (1967–1971)
- Noah Powell (1971–1973)
- John A. Crowe (1973–1983)
- Robert S. Youngdeer (1983–1987)
- Jonathan L. Taylor (1987–1995)
- Gerard Parker (1995)
- Joyce Dugan (1995–1999)
- Leon Jones (1999–2003)
- Michell Hicks (2003–2015)
- Patrick Lambert (2015–2017)
- Richard Sneed (2017–2023)
- Michell Hicks (2023–present)