He was born on 3 March 1840. He lived in Oregon
Son of a Nez Perce chief during the United States’ westward expansion, Joseph was born at a time of many disputes over land treaties, which led to years of injustice and attacks from the American military. In 1871, Joseph became chief and worked hard to keep his tribe from retaliating against violence inflicted upon them. At one point, Chief Joseph negotiated a deal with the federal government, allowing his tribe to remain on their land. As was all too often the case in such situations, the government reversed the agreement three years later and threatened to attack if the tribe didn’t relocate to a reservation.
In 1879, Chief Joseph met with President Rutherford B. Hayes and pleaded on his tribe’s behalf. For a quarter of a century, Chief Joseph was a great tribe leader and an eloquent public advocate, lashing out against the injustices and unconstitutional policies of the United States toward his people. He traveled around the country championing on Native Americans’ behalf, peacefully fighting for equality and justice, until the end of his life.