The true story of how Susan La Flesche overcame racial and gender inequality to become the United States’ first indigenous doctor in 1889 — and how she dedicated her life to caring for her community—the Omaha Tribe. By the age of 26, this fragile but indomitable indigenous woman acquired 1,244 patients scattered across 1,350 square miles of rolling countryside with few roads. They were often poor and sick with tuberculosis, smallpox, measles, and influenza. She was their last hope and effectively became the chief of her entrenched patriarchal tribe, crashing through walls of ethnic, racial, and gender prejudice. Later, while she battled her own health problems, she built and opened a hospital for her community. She also helped the Omaha community navigate the bureaucracy of the Office of Indian Affairs and receive the money owed to them for the sale of their land.  

The film is based on the award-winning biography: A Warrior of the People, by Joe Starita.

Read a brief Biography of Dr. La Flesche

and Read an article about Dr. La Flesche by the Smithsonian Institute

Smithsonian Magazine Article about Dr. La Flesche

Negotiations are in progress to have the screenplay written by an award-winning Indigenous screenwriter during the second half of 2024.