Uploaded April 2021 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
This session is part of “Perspectives in History,” the 2021 Oklahoma History Conference. When people talk about the Battle of the Washita, they typically discuss heavy hitters like George Custer, Black Kettle, and Joel Elliott. What many do not realize is that women played a significant role in the Battle of the Washita. For instance, had Southern Cheyenne Chief Black Kettle listened to his wife Medicine Woman Later on the night of November 26, the events may have played out much differently. This session will discuss the perspectives of women from settlers to Cheyenne, and even the military, shedding light on a topic that is usually overlooked.
Kate Roesch is the education ranger at Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, where she works with local teachers and facilitates student-centered education programs. Roesch has also worked on the National Mall in Washington, DC, at Ford’s Theatre and Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, as well as in Virginia at Manassas National Battlefield Park and George Washington Memorial Parkway.
This session is part of “Perspectives in History,” the 2021 Oklahoma History Conference. When people talk about the Battle of the Washita, they typically discuss heavy hitters like George Custer, Black Kettle, and Joel Elliott. What many do not realize is that women played a significant role in the Battle of the Washita. For instance, had Southern Cheyenne Chief Black Kettle listened to his wife Medicine Woman Later on the night of November 26, the events may have played out much differently. This session will discuss the perspectives of women from settlers to Cheyenne, and even the military, shedding light on a topic that is usually overlooked.
Kate Roesch is the education ranger at Washita Battlefield National Historic Site, where she works with local teachers and facilitates student-centered education programs. Roesch has also worked on the National Mall in Washington, DC, at Ford’s Theatre and Belmont-Paul Women’s Equality National Monument, as well as in Virginia at Manassas National Battlefield Park and George Washington Memorial Parkway.
