Negahnquet, Albert
Father Albert Negahnquet, also known as Dom Bede, was Citizen Potawatomi and the first full‐blood American Indian ordained Roman Catholic priest in the United States. Oral stories tell us that at a young age, Albert “wanted to educate the Potawatomi people in the teachings of the Bible in their own language.” Understanding his son’s path, Albert’s father Nebawqua or Stephen Negahnquet enrolled him at Sacred Heart Mission, Indian Territory. Completing his education and ordainment in Rome, Fr. Dom Bede returned to Oklahoma and became a fixture at missions throughout the state.
Citations
New York Tribune. 1905
Herald and Review. 1925
The Manter Citizen Press. 1926
