1 00:00:00,320 --> 00:00:02,920 Speaker 1: Hey there, history fans. We're taking a break for the 2 00:00:02,920 --> 00:00:05,439 Speaker 1: next two weeks so that I can move across country. 3 00:00:05,600 --> 00:00:08,440 Speaker 1: But don't worry, We've got plenty of classic shows to 4 00:00:08,520 --> 00:00:12,160 Speaker 1: tide you over. Please enjoy these flashback episodes from the 5 00:00:12,200 --> 00:00:13,960 Speaker 1: TDI HC Vault. 6 00:00:15,360 --> 00:00:19,360 Speaker 2: Hi, everyone, welcome to this Day in History class, where 7 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:31,200 Speaker 2: we uncover the remnants of history every day. The day 8 00:00:31,400 --> 00:00:36,239 Speaker 2: was August twenty ninth, nineteen twenty one. Wendell Oliver Scott 9 00:00:36,320 --> 00:00:40,319 Speaker 2: was born in Danville, Virginia. He would later become the 10 00:00:40,360 --> 00:00:43,440 Speaker 2: first black man to win a race in NASCAR's Grand 11 00:00:43,560 --> 00:00:48,480 Speaker 2: National Series. Scott's father was a driver for wealthy white families, 12 00:00:48,560 --> 00:00:52,000 Speaker 2: and he worked on their cars. He learned a lot 13 00:00:52,040 --> 00:00:55,960 Speaker 2: about auto mechanics from his father, though Scott's parents later 14 00:00:56,000 --> 00:00:58,760 Speaker 2: split up and he did not see his father for 15 00:00:58,840 --> 00:01:04,000 Speaker 2: many years. From a young age, Scott recognized the realities 16 00:01:04,040 --> 00:01:08,080 Speaker 2: of segregation and Jim Crow in the South. By the 17 00:01:08,080 --> 00:01:11,039 Speaker 2: time he was a teenager, he began taking jobs to 18 00:01:11,080 --> 00:01:14,640 Speaker 2: support his family. He worked at a drug store and 19 00:01:14,720 --> 00:01:19,000 Speaker 2: he became a bricklayer, But when Scott got tired of bricklaying, 20 00:01:19,319 --> 00:01:22,440 Speaker 2: he started working as a taxi driver and bought his 21 00:01:22,520 --> 00:01:27,039 Speaker 2: own cab. Scott soon became known for his speed as 22 00:01:27,040 --> 00:01:31,520 Speaker 2: a taxi driver. He earned that reputation with passengers and 23 00:01:31,680 --> 00:01:35,240 Speaker 2: with police officers. He got thirteen tickets in his time 24 00:01:35,319 --> 00:01:39,480 Speaker 2: as a taxi driver. In nineteen forty two, Scott was 25 00:01:39,600 --> 00:01:42,720 Speaker 2: drafted in World War Two and began serving in the 26 00:01:42,840 --> 00:01:47,000 Speaker 2: Army's one hundred and first Airborne. His work was focused 27 00:01:47,000 --> 00:01:51,200 Speaker 2: on maintaining vehicles. Two years later, while he was on leave, 28 00:01:51,560 --> 00:01:54,840 Speaker 2: he married Mary ball Calls, a woman he met while 29 00:01:54,840 --> 00:01:59,560 Speaker 2: he was driving his cab. They eventually had six children together. 30 00:02:00,480 --> 00:02:03,080 Speaker 2: When World War two was over, Scott went back to 31 00:02:03,200 --> 00:02:07,880 Speaker 2: Danville and began building a business in mechanic work. While 32 00:02:07,960 --> 00:02:10,880 Speaker 2: the business was successful, he took on a partner who 33 00:02:10,919 --> 00:02:15,239 Speaker 2: mismanaged their money. That partner eventually died in an accident 34 00:02:15,320 --> 00:02:19,840 Speaker 2: that also caused their shot to burn down. So Scott 35 00:02:19,880 --> 00:02:25,720 Speaker 2: started bootlegging whiskey, but bootlegging was dangerous work. In nineteen 36 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:30,320 Speaker 2: forty nine, Scott regularly watched races at the Danville Fairgrounds Speedway. 37 00:02:30,919 --> 00:02:34,360 Speaker 2: The next year, racing promoter Martin Rodgers was looking to 38 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,640 Speaker 2: bring more people to the races and decided to find 39 00:02:37,680 --> 00:02:42,000 Speaker 2: a black driver to increase publicity. He asked the cops 40 00:02:42,040 --> 00:02:44,400 Speaker 2: which black guy would be a good fit, and they 41 00:02:44,480 --> 00:02:48,800 Speaker 2: suggested Wendell Scott. So Scott borrowed a car he had 42 00:02:48,919 --> 00:02:51,720 Speaker 2: used for running liquor that he had since sold to 43 00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,800 Speaker 2: his brother in law. He loved his first race. He 44 00:02:55,880 --> 00:02:58,360 Speaker 2: started out in the Dixie circuit and went on to 45 00:02:58,400 --> 00:03:03,160 Speaker 2: do other races that were not affiliated with NASCAR. In Virginia, 46 00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:05,240 Speaker 2: he won a race for the first time in June 47 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,639 Speaker 2: of nineteen fifty two, and he continued on to win 48 00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:13,360 Speaker 2: other races. Though there had been other black drivers before Scott, 49 00:03:13,680 --> 00:03:16,280 Speaker 2: he was often the only one at his events, and 50 00:03:16,560 --> 00:03:20,440 Speaker 2: racism was still rampant in the nineteen fifties in the US. 51 00:03:20,880 --> 00:03:25,600 Speaker 2: People yelled slurs at him and threatened his children. Plus 52 00:03:25,680 --> 00:03:28,880 Speaker 2: he did not have sponsors, a paid pit crew, or 53 00:03:28,919 --> 00:03:34,200 Speaker 2: a mechanic besides himself. NASCAR, or the National Association for 54 00:03:34,240 --> 00:03:37,680 Speaker 2: Stock Car Auto Racing, was founded in nineteen forty eight. 55 00:03:38,520 --> 00:03:42,240 Speaker 2: Though he had been rejected from entering NASCAR sanctioned races 56 00:03:42,520 --> 00:03:45,160 Speaker 2: because of his race, he entered his first one in 57 00:03:45,280 --> 00:03:49,480 Speaker 2: nineteen fifty four. Scott was the first black driver to 58 00:03:49,560 --> 00:03:53,320 Speaker 2: be in a race that was sanctioned by NASCAR. Scott 59 00:03:53,360 --> 00:03:55,960 Speaker 2: was never able to race in a new car because 60 00:03:56,000 --> 00:03:58,640 Speaker 2: he could not afford it and did not have sponsorship, 61 00:03:59,240 --> 00:04:04,000 Speaker 2: but he built his own cars and was successful in racing. Still, 62 00:04:04,120 --> 00:04:07,120 Speaker 2: he was frequently singled out as a black driver. Other 63 00:04:07,240 --> 00:04:11,240 Speaker 2: drivers would intentionally wreck his car during races, inspectors would 64 00:04:11,320 --> 00:04:17,040 Speaker 2: demand unnecessary repairs before he could race. This discrimination continued 65 00:04:17,279 --> 00:04:21,520 Speaker 2: despite some support from William France Senior or Big Bill, 66 00:04:21,920 --> 00:04:25,920 Speaker 2: the founder of NASCAR, and it caused Scott to make 67 00:04:26,040 --> 00:04:30,159 Speaker 2: less money, which had to go toward paying for his bills, gas, 68 00:04:30,200 --> 00:04:34,600 Speaker 2: and car repair costs. Though Scott's cars were not as 69 00:04:34,760 --> 00:04:38,279 Speaker 2: new and improved as the other driver's cars, he still 70 00:04:38,320 --> 00:04:43,280 Speaker 2: performed well. In his first NASCAR season in nineteen sixty one, 71 00:04:43,600 --> 00:04:46,719 Speaker 2: Scott made his first appearance in the Grand National now 72 00:04:46,760 --> 00:04:51,119 Speaker 2: called the Winston Cup in South Carolina. Two years later, 73 00:04:51,279 --> 00:04:55,400 Speaker 2: he won his first and only Grand National race. Scott 74 00:04:55,440 --> 00:04:59,039 Speaker 2: continued racing for several years, but in nineteen seventy three, 75 00:04:59,480 --> 00:05:03,240 Speaker 2: he was in in a crash at Talladega Speedway in Alabama. 76 00:05:03,800 --> 00:05:07,599 Speaker 2: He survived the crash, but fractured many bones and had 77 00:05:07,600 --> 00:05:11,440 Speaker 2: to retire from racing after returning to work in an 78 00:05:11,440 --> 00:05:14,520 Speaker 2: auto repair shop and paying for his children to go 79 00:05:14,560 --> 00:05:18,200 Speaker 2: to college. He died of spinal cancer in nineteen ninety. 80 00:05:19,360 --> 00:05:22,960 Speaker 2: After his death, Scott was inducted into several halls of fame, 81 00:05:23,400 --> 00:05:26,760 Speaker 2: including the National Sports Hall of Fame and the NASCAR 82 00:05:26,880 --> 00:05:31,159 Speaker 2: Hall of Fame. I'm Eves Steffcote and hopefully you know 83 00:05:31,320 --> 00:05:34,359 Speaker 2: a little more about history today than you did yesterday. 84 00:05:35,440 --> 00:05:37,960 Speaker 2: And if you want to learn more about Scott, you 85 00:05:38,080 --> 00:05:40,360 Speaker 2: can in the two part episode of Stuff You Missed 86 00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:44,080 Speaker 2: in History Class called Wendell Scott, Black Nascar driver in 87 00:05:44,120 --> 00:05:47,080 Speaker 2: the Jimcrow era. You can find a link to that 88 00:05:47,160 --> 00:05:50,960 Speaker 2: episode in the description. Thanks again for listening, and we'll 89 00:05:50,960 --> 00:05:52,320 Speaker 2: see you again tomorrow. 90 00:05:54,839 --> 00:06:03,360 Speaker 1: This Day in History Class is a production of iHeartRadio. 91 00:06:03,960 --> 00:06:07,599 Speaker 1: Hello and welcome to This Day in History Class, a 92 00:06:07,720 --> 00:06:10,760 Speaker 1: show that pays tribute to people of the past by 93 00:06:10,800 --> 00:06:15,960 Speaker 1: telling their stories. Today. I'm Gaybelusier, and in this episode, 94 00:06:16,160 --> 00:06:19,640 Speaker 1: we're reflecting on the tragic tale of Ihi, a Native 95 00:06:19,640 --> 00:06:22,680 Speaker 1: American man who lost his family and his way of 96 00:06:22,720 --> 00:06:27,880 Speaker 1: life to western expansion. After resisting assimilation for half a century, 97 00:06:28,160 --> 00:06:31,200 Speaker 1: he was compelled to join the society of his oppressors, 98 00:06:31,560 --> 00:06:34,920 Speaker 1: where he quickly learned how right he'd been to avoid it. 99 00:06:42,320 --> 00:06:47,520 Speaker 1: The day was August twenty ninth, nineteen eleven. The last 100 00:06:47,600 --> 00:06:51,240 Speaker 1: surviving member of the Yahee people was found on the 101 00:06:51,279 --> 00:06:56,560 Speaker 1: brink of starvation near a slaughterhouse in Oraville, California. He 102 00:06:56,680 --> 00:06:59,640 Speaker 1: never divulged his true name, but he came to be 103 00:06:59,720 --> 00:07:04,440 Speaker 1: known as Hi, the Yana word for man. Hi and 104 00:07:04,480 --> 00:07:07,880 Speaker 1: his family had spent decades living in the remote mountains 105 00:07:07,920 --> 00:07:12,840 Speaker 1: of northern California, but accident, disease, and even murder had 106 00:07:12,840 --> 00:07:16,240 Speaker 1: claimed each of his companions until only he was left. 107 00:07:17,160 --> 00:07:20,880 Speaker 1: In desperation, Hi walked out of the wilderness of Butte 108 00:07:20,880 --> 00:07:24,920 Speaker 1: County and ventured into modern civilization for the first time. 109 00:07:26,120 --> 00:07:29,520 Speaker 1: Hi is believed to have been born sometime between eighteen 110 00:07:29,640 --> 00:07:33,560 Speaker 1: sixty and eighteen sixty two, just after the conclusion of 111 00:07:33,600 --> 00:07:36,920 Speaker 1: the California Gold Rush. He was a member of the 112 00:07:37,040 --> 00:07:41,320 Speaker 1: Yahi people, an especially secluded branch of the Yana tribe. 113 00:07:41,880 --> 00:07:45,400 Speaker 1: In the previous decade, miners in search of gold had 114 00:07:45,440 --> 00:07:49,800 Speaker 1: pushed deeper and deeper into the California wilderness. This brought 115 00:07:49,840 --> 00:07:53,720 Speaker 1: them into direct conflict with isolated groups of Native Americans, 116 00:07:53,920 --> 00:07:57,560 Speaker 1: including the Yahi, who happened to live in close proximity 117 00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:02,240 Speaker 1: to the region's mines. Soon, the influx of white settlers 118 00:08:02,320 --> 00:08:05,840 Speaker 1: began to disrupt the Yahi's traditional way of life. They 119 00:08:05,880 --> 00:08:09,520 Speaker 1: set up camps on Yahi hunting grounds and polluted local 120 00:08:09,560 --> 00:08:14,160 Speaker 1: streams with the runoff from their excavations. Gradually, the deer 121 00:08:14,320 --> 00:08:18,200 Speaker 1: and other wildlife scattered, and the once boundless supply of 122 00:08:18,280 --> 00:08:22,320 Speaker 1: salmon dried up. As if the threat of starvation weren't 123 00:08:22,360 --> 00:08:27,240 Speaker 1: bad enough, the settlers also brought unfamiliar diseases like smallpox 124 00:08:27,320 --> 00:08:31,800 Speaker 1: and measles, for which Native Americans had no immunity. Some 125 00:08:32,040 --> 00:08:35,960 Speaker 1: tribes fought against this encroachment, but they were outnumbered and 126 00:08:36,040 --> 00:08:39,680 Speaker 1: outgunned by the settlers. By the time of Hi's birth, 127 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:43,520 Speaker 1: The newly established towns were so annoyed by these attempts 128 00:08:43,520 --> 00:08:46,719 Speaker 1: at resistance that they started to set bounties on the 129 00:08:46,800 --> 00:08:51,960 Speaker 1: native population. Robert Anderson and other so called Indian hunters 130 00:08:52,320 --> 00:08:55,880 Speaker 1: led numerous raids on the Yahi, earning fifty cents for 131 00:08:55,960 --> 00:08:59,680 Speaker 1: every scalp they collected and five dollars for every head. 132 00:09:00,600 --> 00:09:04,880 Speaker 1: In eighteen sixty five alone, approximately seventy members of the 133 00:09:04,960 --> 00:09:08,680 Speaker 1: Yahi people were killed in such raids. This led the 134 00:09:08,720 --> 00:09:12,480 Speaker 1: remaining few hundred members, including Hi, and his family to 135 00:09:12,559 --> 00:09:16,839 Speaker 1: split off into smaller groups. Ishi and his family made 136 00:09:16,880 --> 00:09:20,360 Speaker 1: a quiet life for themselves on a cliff overlooking Deer Creek. 137 00:09:21,120 --> 00:09:24,600 Speaker 1: There they carried on the Yahi traditions as best they could, 138 00:09:24,960 --> 00:09:29,400 Speaker 1: while elsewhere the remaining members of their people were systematically slaughtered. 139 00:09:30,040 --> 00:09:33,120 Speaker 1: The family kept to themselves for the next forty years, 140 00:09:33,600 --> 00:09:36,520 Speaker 1: careful to remain out of sight of the Anglo society 141 00:09:36,679 --> 00:09:40,440 Speaker 1: that steadily grew all around them. By the first decade 142 00:09:40,480 --> 00:09:43,840 Speaker 1: of the twentieth century, Hi was all that remained of 143 00:09:43,880 --> 00:09:48,840 Speaker 1: his family and his people. Driven by starvation, he eventually 144 00:09:48,880 --> 00:09:51,760 Speaker 1: made his way to the town of Oreville, about seventy 145 00:09:51,800 --> 00:09:56,000 Speaker 1: miles north of Sacramento. He was discovered there by ranchers 146 00:09:56,120 --> 00:09:59,160 Speaker 1: and taken to the local jail, not because he'd committed 147 00:09:59,200 --> 00:10:01,680 Speaker 1: a crime, but because the sheriff couldn't think of a 148 00:10:01,720 --> 00:10:06,480 Speaker 1: safer place to keep him. Hi was approximately fifty years old, 149 00:10:06,920 --> 00:10:11,320 Speaker 1: was clearly lost and emaciated, and spoke no English. The 150 00:10:11,360 --> 00:10:15,200 Speaker 1: townspeople gawked at the so called Stone Age Indian, but 151 00:10:15,320 --> 00:10:18,520 Speaker 1: beyond that they weren't sure what to do with him. 152 00:10:18,679 --> 00:10:21,360 Speaker 1: News of Hi traveled fast, and by the end of 153 00:10:21,360 --> 00:10:24,960 Speaker 1: the week, two anthropologists from UC Berkeley had come to 154 00:10:25,000 --> 00:10:29,600 Speaker 1: Oraville to meet him in person. These professors, Alfred Kroeber 155 00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:33,960 Speaker 1: and Thomas Waterman, recognized Ishi's dialect and were able to 156 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:37,079 Speaker 1: identify him as the last known survivor of the Yahi. 157 00:10:38,000 --> 00:10:41,000 Speaker 1: They arranged to bring Hi back to live on their campus, 158 00:10:41,200 --> 00:10:44,040 Speaker 1: and over the next five years he taught them everything 159 00:10:44,080 --> 00:10:48,920 Speaker 1: he could about his disappearing culture. It wasn't a comprehensive account, 160 00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:52,280 Speaker 1: as Ishi had been born when his population was already 161 00:10:52,280 --> 00:10:55,200 Speaker 1: in decline, and since he'd been raised apart from most 162 00:10:55,200 --> 00:10:57,920 Speaker 1: of his people, he didn't know as many traditions as 163 00:10:57,960 --> 00:11:02,320 Speaker 1: earlier generations would have. Still, he was able to demonstrate 164 00:11:02,360 --> 00:11:06,000 Speaker 1: tool making and hunting skills, and to describe aspects of 165 00:11:06,120 --> 00:11:10,280 Speaker 1: Yahi society such as family units, naming patterns, and even 166 00:11:10,280 --> 00:11:14,640 Speaker 1: a few sacred ceremonies. Yihi also helped preserve his own 167 00:11:14,760 --> 00:11:20,800 Speaker 1: language by recording many tribal stories and songs onto wax cylinders. Thankfully, 168 00:11:21,120 --> 00:11:25,040 Speaker 1: these century old recordings still exist, allowing us to hear 169 00:11:25,160 --> 00:11:28,880 Speaker 1: the Yahi language through the voice of its last native speaker. 170 00:11:29,400 --> 00:11:40,640 Speaker 3: Take a listen ye rundrd n'n and under Randa Nana 171 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:47,200 Speaker 3: Na Ruanda Nakah. 172 00:11:50,240 --> 00:11:54,079 Speaker 1: The work that Kroeber, Waterman, and Iishi completed together was 173 00:11:54,120 --> 00:11:57,840 Speaker 1: of great historical importance, and over time the men developed 174 00:11:57,840 --> 00:12:02,440 Speaker 1: a mutual respect for one another. For instance, in Waterman's writings, 175 00:12:02,679 --> 00:12:07,439 Speaker 1: he remarked on Hi's quote gentlemanliness which lies outside of 176 00:12:07,480 --> 00:12:12,120 Speaker 1: all training and is an expression of inward spirit. That said, 177 00:12:12,600 --> 00:12:17,600 Speaker 1: there was an undoubtedly exploitative side to their relationship. Hi 178 00:12:17,960 --> 00:12:20,680 Speaker 1: was given free room and board at the UC Museum 179 00:12:20,760 --> 00:12:24,199 Speaker 1: of Anthropology in San Francisco, but in exchange he was 180 00:12:24,280 --> 00:12:27,559 Speaker 1: put to work not only as our research subject, but 181 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:31,559 Speaker 1: as an assistant janitor. That arrangement on its own may 182 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,559 Speaker 1: seem fair enough, but Hi was also expected to contribute 183 00:12:35,640 --> 00:12:39,840 Speaker 1: in other more detrimental ways. Every Sunday, the museum held 184 00:12:39,840 --> 00:12:42,920 Speaker 1: a kind of reception where Hi was required to shake 185 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:46,640 Speaker 1: hands with the paying guests, who sometimes numbered in the thousands. 186 00:12:47,400 --> 00:12:51,000 Speaker 1: Over time, those events grew in scope until Ishi was 187 00:12:51,080 --> 00:12:55,199 Speaker 1: also hosting weekly demonstrations of tribal customs, including how to 188 00:12:55,280 --> 00:12:59,440 Speaker 1: make arrowheads and how to weave a fishnet. His financial 189 00:12:59,520 --> 00:13:02,760 Speaker 1: compency for this work was minimal, and at the time 190 00:13:02,840 --> 00:13:05,360 Speaker 1: of his death he had less than two hundred dollars 191 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:09,480 Speaker 1: to his name exploited though he was. Hi was not 192 00:13:09,640 --> 00:13:12,760 Speaker 1: a prisoner of the museum, and he reportedly took great 193 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,240 Speaker 1: pleasure in exploring the parks of San Francisco, including the 194 00:13:16,280 --> 00:13:20,240 Speaker 1: Bison enclosure in Golden Gate Park. He also developed an 195 00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:24,400 Speaker 1: appreciation for modern conveniences such as street cars and ferries. 196 00:13:24,960 --> 00:13:27,559 Speaker 1: Oh and apparently he also had a bit of a 197 00:13:27,600 --> 00:13:33,199 Speaker 1: sweet tooth, being especially partial to doughnuts and ice cream sodas. Sadly, 198 00:13:33,600 --> 00:13:36,839 Speaker 1: although Hi was able to adapt to some aspects of 199 00:13:37,000 --> 00:13:42,040 Speaker 1: Euro American civilization, he remained incredibly vulnerable to its diseases. 200 00:13:42,840 --> 00:13:45,400 Speaker 1: He was often sick during his years at the museum, 201 00:13:45,760 --> 00:13:48,760 Speaker 1: almost certainly as a result of being exposed to germs 202 00:13:48,920 --> 00:13:54,439 Speaker 1: during his compulsory handshaking sessions. In nineteen sixteen, he contracted 203 00:13:54,480 --> 00:13:57,959 Speaker 1: tuberculosis and died from it on March twenty fifth of 204 00:13:58,040 --> 00:14:02,400 Speaker 1: that year, at the estimated age of fifty six. Hi 205 00:14:02,720 --> 00:14:06,240 Speaker 1: had witnessed several post mortem examinations while working at the 206 00:14:06,320 --> 00:14:09,480 Speaker 1: museum and had been greatly disturbed by the idea of 207 00:14:09,600 --> 00:14:14,400 Speaker 1: human autopsies. He believed that dismembering the body did violence 208 00:14:14,520 --> 00:14:17,559 Speaker 1: to the spirit as well, so before his death he 209 00:14:17,720 --> 00:14:20,720 Speaker 1: requested that his body be cremated so his spirit could 210 00:14:20,720 --> 00:14:25,640 Speaker 1: be released intact. Alfred Kroeber promised to honor that request, 211 00:14:25,960 --> 00:14:29,800 Speaker 1: but when Hi fell ill in early nineteen sixteen, rumors 212 00:14:29,840 --> 00:14:33,320 Speaker 1: began to swirl that an autopsy would indeed be performed. 213 00:14:34,040 --> 00:14:37,080 Speaker 1: At the time, Krober was away in New York, but 214 00:14:37,160 --> 00:14:39,760 Speaker 1: he caught wind of the plan to remove and preserve 215 00:14:40,160 --> 00:14:44,680 Speaker 1: Hi's brain. To his credit, Kroeber tried to prevent this desecration. 216 00:14:45,320 --> 00:14:48,440 Speaker 1: In a letter to the museum's director, he wrote, quote, 217 00:14:48,880 --> 00:14:51,720 Speaker 1: please shut it down. I must ask you, as my 218 00:14:51,800 --> 00:14:55,080 Speaker 1: personal representative on the spot in this matter, to yield 219 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:58,520 Speaker 1: nothing at all under any circumstances. If there is any 220 00:14:58,640 --> 00:15:02,040 Speaker 1: talk about the interests of science, save for me, that 221 00:15:02,240 --> 00:15:05,760 Speaker 1: science can go to hell. We propose to stand by 222 00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:10,000 Speaker 1: our friends. That letter was written on March twenty fourth, 223 00:15:10,280 --> 00:15:15,160 Speaker 1: nineteen sixteen, one day before Hi's death. It arrived in 224 00:15:15,280 --> 00:15:20,280 Speaker 1: California too late. In the end, Hi's body was burned 225 00:15:20,320 --> 00:15:23,680 Speaker 1: in accordance with his wishes, but not before doctor Saxon 226 00:15:23,800 --> 00:15:29,200 Speaker 1: Pope removed Ishi's brain in the interest of science. Tellingly, 227 00:15:29,520 --> 00:15:33,160 Speaker 1: when Alfred Kroeber returned to the museum in October, no 228 00:15:33,440 --> 00:15:36,240 Speaker 1: use had been found for the preserved brain, and it 229 00:15:36,320 --> 00:15:39,440 Speaker 1: was eventually offered to the Smithsonian in Washington, d C. 230 00:15:40,360 --> 00:15:43,680 Speaker 1: As you might expect, the researchers there didn't have much 231 00:15:43,760 --> 00:15:47,080 Speaker 1: use for it either. As a result, Hi's brain was 232 00:15:47,160 --> 00:15:50,400 Speaker 1: stowed away in a storage facility in Maryland, where it 233 00:15:50,520 --> 00:15:54,240 Speaker 1: remained for the rest of the twentieth century. In nineteen 234 00:15:54,360 --> 00:15:58,240 Speaker 1: ninety eight, Native American activists and allies learned of the 235 00:15:58,320 --> 00:16:02,320 Speaker 1: brain's whereabouts. The better part of three years, they lobbied 236 00:16:02,360 --> 00:16:05,160 Speaker 1: for it to be repatriated to the closest relatives of 237 00:16:05,200 --> 00:16:09,040 Speaker 1: the Yahi, the Reading Rancheria and Pitt River tribes of 238 00:16:09,080 --> 00:16:13,000 Speaker 1: the Yana people. Recent studies had suggested that the Yahi 239 00:16:13,200 --> 00:16:16,800 Speaker 1: may have intermarried with those tribes during their decline. If 240 00:16:16,840 --> 00:16:19,800 Speaker 1: that was the case, then their descendants were entitled by 241 00:16:19,960 --> 00:16:24,520 Speaker 1: law to the remains of their ancestor. The Smithsonian eventually 242 00:16:24,640 --> 00:16:27,880 Speaker 1: bowed to public pressure, and in August of two thousand, 243 00:16:28,520 --> 00:16:32,120 Speaker 1: Hi's brain was returned to his people. Later that year, 244 00:16:32,480 --> 00:16:35,200 Speaker 1: it was reunited with the ashes of his body and 245 00:16:35,360 --> 00:16:38,840 Speaker 1: finally laid to rest in an undisclosed location on Mount 246 00:16:38,960 --> 00:16:44,640 Speaker 1: Lassan in northern California, in the ancestral home of his people. Hi, 247 00:16:45,160 --> 00:16:51,120 Speaker 1: finally rests in peace. I'm Gabe Luzier and hopefully you 248 00:16:51,280 --> 00:16:54,200 Speaker 1: now know a little more about history today than you 249 00:16:54,320 --> 00:16:58,000 Speaker 1: did yesterday. You can learn even more about history by 250 00:16:58,120 --> 00:17:03,640 Speaker 1: following us on Twitter, Facebookook, and Instagram at TDI HC Show, 251 00:17:04,359 --> 00:17:07,240 Speaker 1: and if you have any comments or suggestions, feel free 252 00:17:07,280 --> 00:17:10,639 Speaker 1: to send them my way at this day at iHeartMedia 253 00:17:10,800 --> 00:17:14,080 Speaker 1: dot com. Thanks to Chandler Mays for producing the show, 254 00:17:14,320 --> 00:17:17,000 Speaker 1: and thank you for listening. I'll see you back here 255 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:20,479 Speaker 1: again tomorrow for another day in History class.