Ben Nighthorse Campbell, who represented the San Luis Valley in Congress and was a member of the Northern Cheyenne tribe, died Tuesday, Dec. 30. He was 92.
Campbell became known for his passionate advocacy for Native American issues while serving in Congress. He served three terms in the U.S. House of Representatives (1987-1993) and two terms in the U.S. Senate (1993-2005), where he became the first Native American elected to the Senate in more than 60 years.
Those roots were displayed when Campbell was featured this year in the Fort Garland Museum’s “Why We Serve: Native Americans in the U.S. Armed Forces.”
“Colorado lost a giant with the passing of Sen. Ben Nighthorse Campbell. To many of us, he was more than a national leader — he was a neighbor and a steady voice for the communities that shaped him,” said Colorado State Sen. Cleave Simpson of Alamosa. “His dedication to rural and tribal Colorado strengthened opportunities and protected traditions across the state.”
Campbell was pivotal in the creation of two of Colorado’s National Parks: Black Canyon of the Gunnison and Great Sand Dunes. Campbell is the only member in congressional history to have authorized the creation of two National Museums: National Museum of the American Indian and National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial and Museum.
Colorado Gov. Jared Polis ordered flags lowered to half staff to honor Campbell.
“I am saddened to hear of the passing of Sen. Nighthorse Campbell. From being an Olympic athlete, to jewelry designer, horse trainer and then public servant at the state and federal level, he lived many different lives in his own unique way and always found a way to give back and serve,” Polis said.
“He was the only Native American in the United States Senate when he served, and also served the United States with distinction in the U.S. Air Force. And he worked tirelessly to help build the National museum of the American Indian in Washington, DC. He will be missed here in Colorado and across the country, and his contributions leave a lasting legacy to our state and nation.”
Campbell began his political career as a Democrat and stunned the party by joining the Republican Party in 1995, midway through his first term as a U.S. senator. He stood out in Congress as much for his unconventional dress – typically cowboy boots, bolo ties and his trademark ponytail – as his defense of children’s rights, organized labor and fiscal conservatism.
Ken Salazar, former U.S. ambassador to Mexico and a native of the Valley, remembered Campbell as a “history-making, blunt-speaking, no-nonsense giant of Colorado politics, as well as an Olympian and accomplished artist.”
“Ben was an inspiring champion of our nation’s Native Americans and a fighter for all Coloradans, urban and rural,” Salazar said. “Hope and I extend our deepest condolences to Ben’s wife, Linda; son, Colin; daughter, Shanan; and their families.”
The Associated Press contributed to this article