Sacagawea

Sacagawea (/ˌsækədʒəˈwiːə/ see below; May 1788 – December 20, 1812; see below for other theories about her death), also Sakakawea or Sacajawea, was a Lemhi Shoshone woman who helped the Lewis and Clark Expedition achieve each of its chartered mission objectives exploring the Louisiana Purchase. With the expedition, between 1804 and 1806, she traveled thousands of miles from North Dakota to the Pacific Ocean, established cultural contacts with Native American populations, and researched natural history.

Cultural significance

Sacagawea is an important part of the Lewis and Clark legend in the American public imagination. The National American Woman Suffrage Association of the early twentieth century adopted her as a symbol of women's worth and independence, erecting several statues and plaques in her memory, and doing much to spread the story of her accomplishments.

Posthumously, in 1977, she was inducted into the National Cowgirl Hall of Fame, in Fort Worth, Texas.

In 2001, she was given the title of Honorary Sergeant, Regular Army, by then-president Bill Clinton.