"The Native Americans do not know for certain what happened with Sacajawea after her return to the Lemhi River Valley. ... Many of the Lemhi Shosone believe that Sacajawea died at age 24 in South Dakota. ... Many historians call Sacajawea the most important woman in American History. ..."
What Happened After the Lewis and Clark Expedition? - Sacajawea and the Lost Grave
Quick Summary/ Article Highlights:
Sacajawea was born into the Lemhi Shoshone tribe in present-day Idaho around 1788.
As a young girl, she was captured by a Hidatsa group and eventually married French Canadian trader Toussaint Charbonneau.
Beginning in 1805, she served as an interpreter and guide for the
Lewis and Clark Expedition, traveling with her infant son, Jean Baptiste. She helped the expedition communicate with Native tribes, navigate unfamiliar territory, and obtain supplies.MAIN POINT OF THE ARTICLE - The lost grave. There are conflicting accounts placing her death either in South Dakota in 1812 or Wyoming in 1884.
Note: Some historical claims remain disputed. Native American communities have their own historical knowledge and oral traditions.
Also noteworthy is the Sacajawea dollar controversy:
- The author discusses the Sacajawea dollar coin and the controversy surrounding the woman depicted on it. There is an argument that the model was not a Lemhi Shoshone woman, which some members of the Lemhi community considered disrespectful to Sacajawea's heritage.
