The Center for International and Public Affairs has a new namesake: Joseph Medicine Crow, the Crow Nation’s last war chief and a Native American historian who received his master’s degree from USC.
Annenberg Media’s Wilko Martínez-Cachero spoke with his son, Ron Medicine Crow, about his father’s legacy and the renaming of one of USC’s iconic buildings.
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After a search that lasted more than a year, Native American historian and USC alum Joseph Medicine Crow was selected as the Center’s new namesake from a pool that included more than 200 names.
USC President Carol Folt explains that the university was in no rush to rename the building.
Carol Folt: We really took [our] time — it means something to ask someone if you can put their name on a building.
Tok Thompson, an anthropology professor at USC, played an important role in the renaming process through support letters and conversations with the school community.
Tok Thompson: This is kind of my little brainchild here. The name of Chief Joseph Medicine Crow just really leapt out at me. Ever since I came to USC 15 years ago, I’ve been working very hard at trying to increase Native American representation. So when something like that happens, yeah, that was a happy day.
Medicine Crow was the Crow nation’s last war chief. He enrolled at USC in 1938 and graduated with a master’s in anthropology.
In 2003, he received an honorary doctorate from USC. His son, Ron, didn’t expect to hear from the university after that.
Ron Medicine Crow: Since the time he received his honorary doctorate, we figured that’s just about the last of what we’ll hear from USC. But as it turns out, even greater good news and honor came his way. My children, myself, and my wife, and my sisters are very, very surprised and very happy.
The center was previously named for Rufus von KleinSmid, USC’s fifth president who was a significant and early supporter of eugenics.
The USC board of trustees’ executive committee unanimously voted last June to remove von KleinSmid’s name from the building. Students had previously petitioned USC for this change.
Raegan Kirby, an executive board member of the Native American Student Assembly, believes the building’s new name is a good start.
Raegan Kirby: The way that the university is using the renaming is in a positive light. It’s showing that it’s because of their appreciation for not only the culture, but for Joseph himself.
In addition to Crow’s name on the building, USC is also launching a scholarship program for Native American students. Joseph Medicine Crow got his master’s from USC while on scholarship, as his son Ron recalls.
Ron Medicine Crow: It was arranged by his uncle Robert Yellowtail Sr., who was a superintendent of the Crow tribe at the time and former chairman. Robert had a lot of pull there at USC.
Yellowtail knew USC’s president and was aware that the university offered scholarships to Native American students, such as Crow.
USC’s new program could feature up to five scholarships. More details are yet to be announced, but Kirby says this was a long time coming.
Kirby: Almost all other like, minority identities and stuff have had that for decades now, and the fact that we weren’t recognized as someone that could — or like, an identity that could get that financial compensation until now is just kind of shocking.
Ron hopes the scholarships will inspire Native Americans across the country to pursue a college education like his father’s.
Ron Medicine Crow: I’m sure they’ll be inspired to follow that example and be inspired to come to USC, go to USC as a place where Native Americans are more than welcome.
A celebration for the center’s new namesake will happen in the spring semester.