DAY 1: Awards Presentation
Monday evening, Aug. 7, 1995, two very important awards were
presented at the 64th annual American Indian Exposition, Outstanding Indian
of the Year and Indian Celebrity of the Year.
OUTSTANDING INDIAN OF THE YEAR went to Kelvin Sampson, Head
Basketball Coach for the University of Oklahoma Sooners. Mr. Sampson was
born in Laurenceburg, NC of Lumbee descent. He excelled in academics and
athletics as a student and was a quarterback in football and a catcher and
outfielder in baseball during his high school years. He later earned degrees
from Pembroke State University in both health and physical education and
political science, and at Michigan State he earned a Master's in coaching
and administration. There he was a graduate assistant for Jud Heathcote. He
then moved to Montana Tech as assistant coach and later head coach. Afer
four years in Montana, he went to Washington State in 1988 where he coached
seven years.
Sampson accepted the head basketbal coaching position for the
Oklahoma Sooners last October, where he demands teamwork and effort from his
players. The Sooners ended their season with a 23-8 record, and a third
place 9-5 finish in the Big Eight competition. Sampson was named National
Coach of the Year and Big Eight Coach of the Year by the Associated Press,
the U.S. Basketball Writers Association and Basketball Weekly.
INDIAN CELEBRITY OF THE YEAR was presented to Elaine Miles, the
actress/comedienne who played Marilyn Whirlwind, the doctor's receptionist
on Northern Exposure. Born in Pendleton, Oregon, Miles was raised outside
the Seattle area as a member of the Umatilla Tribe. Her parents, Cayuse and
Nez Perce, raised her in the traditional ways of their heritage.
Miles is skilled in the ways of her tribe, as well as the crafts of
beading, pottery, and weaving. With no previous acting experience, she was
chosen for her TV part when she accompanied her mother to the auditions. The
agents spotted her in the waiting room and asked her to read for the part!
She won the part of Marilyn, and her mother was cast in the recurring role
of Mrs. Anku, wife of the local medicine man.
Miles stated she has no immediate plans for the future, now that the
show has been cancelled, except to return to being a traditional Indian wife
and mother. Her husband is Comanche. She appeared at the presentation in a
lovely traditional, long cotton dress, in a pink and blue flower print.
Miles has agreed to be interviewed online in the College and Adult
Students Forum on CompuServe at 11 p.m. Eastern time (8 Pacific), Tuesday
Aug. 8.
--Liz
Liz Pollard
University of Alabama in Huntsville
Systems Librarian
Sysop, College/Adult Student Forum, CompuServe