Notable Colorado Women

Chipeta: Native American Rights Advocate and Diplomat

Chipeta, or White Singing Bird in the Ute language (1843 or 1844 – August 1924), was a Native American woman known for the courage and valor she demonstrated in her efforts to mediate peace between Native Americans and whites. Her diplomatic influence grew as she traveled with her husband Chief Ouray while he negotiated with whites and other Ute leaders for Ute lands. She was the only woman of her time invited to sit on the Ute Tribal Council. Chipeta and Chief Ouray led a delegation of Utes to Washington, DC to negotiate a treaty regarding reservation resettlement. Despite the ultimate removal of her people from their homelands, Chipeta committed her life's work to bettering conditions of the Ute people and used her influence to try to achieve peace with the white settlers.

1833 CE
1843 CE
1845 CE
1858 CE
1859 CE
February 28, 1861 CE
1863 CE
October 3, 1863 CE
March 2, 1868 CE
March 3, 1871 CE
1873 CE
September 29, 1879 CE
March 6, 1880 CE
August 24, 1880 CE
1900 CE
August 17, 1924 CE