Bill Osceola
Bill Osceola | |
|---|---|
Seminole Bill Osceola building his new home at the Dania Indian Reservation November 1956, by photographer Johnson. | |
| 1st President of the Seminole Tribe of Florida | |
| In office 1957–1967 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 30, 1919 Everglades, Broward County, Florida |
| Died | April 16, 1995 (aged 75) Hollywood, Florida |
| Resting place | Seminole Cemetery West |
| Spouse | Charlotte Tommie |
Bill Osceola (30 June 1919 – 16 April 1995) was the first president of the Seminole Tribe of Florida. When the federal government marked his tribe for termination, Osceola came up with the idea of creating a rodeo as a tourist attraction to raise funds. The rodeo earned enough money to pay for tribal representatives to lobby against termination and formally organize as a tribe.