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Laura Cornelius Kellogg, born on September 10, 1880, on the Oneida Indian Reservation in Wisconsin to Adam Poe and Cecilia Bread Cornelius. She emerged as a prominent Native American leader, author, and activist. She descended from a lineage of distinguished Oneida leaders, including her grandfather, Chief Daniel Bread.
Kellogg did not attend an indian boarding school which was the fate of many Native American children. She attended Grafton Hall, an Episcopal finishing school and graduated with honors. She pursued higher education at several prestigious institutions, including Barnard College, Cornell University, and Stanford University, although she did not earn a degree. Fluent in Oneida, Mohawk, and English, she became a founding member of the Society of American Indians in 1911.
Throughout her life, Kellogg tirelessly advocated for Native American rights and sovereignty. She developed the “Lolomi Plan,” which promoted indigenous self-sufficiency and cooperative labor as an alternative to the Bureau of Indian Affairs’ control. Her eloquence and determination made her a powerful voice for the Oneida and Haudenosaunee people in national and international forums.
Kellogg’s activism extended to land claims, as she and her husband, Orrin J. Kellogg, pursued legal actions on behalf of the Six Nations people in New York during the 1920s and 1930s. Despite facing numerous challenges, she remained dedicated to her cause until her death in 1947.
Throughout her life, Laura Cornelius Kellogg tirelessly pursued land claims and fought for the rights of her people, leaving a lasting legacy as a visionary leader and advocate for Native American sovereignty