Nykki Davidson3/24/20141500 Word EssayMr. Henthorn“A Nation in Transition”In the book “A Nation in Transition,” author Michael W. Lovegrove chronicles the life of Douglas Henry Johnston and his many accomplishments. Johnston was born October 13, 1857 in Skullyville, Oklahoma. Growing up, Johnston lived along the South Canadian River. They moved once the Civil War began. Johnston's family moved to Blue, Oklahoma, which is located in Bryan County in southern Oklahoma. Soon after moving to Blue, Johnston's parents both died. This left his half-brother, Teddy Walker, to look after him. He studied at Tishomingo and Bloomfield Academy. After finishing school, Johnston worked as a farmer and rancher. In 1881, Johnston married his first wife Nellie Bynum. A few years later, Johnston was named superintendent of Bloomfield Academy. During her marriage, Nellie gave birth to two sons. He ended up dying in 1886, after just five years of marriage. Johnston remarried in 1889 to a woman named Lorena "Betty" Harper. Shortly after their marriage they had a daughter. In early 1896, Bloomfield Academy was destroyed by fire. Johnston spent two years rebuilding Bloomfield. It was then, in 1889, that Johnston's line of work changed dramatically. From an educator he became a politician. Johnston presided as Indian Chief Executive from 1898 to 1902. He was re-elected in 1904. Johnston served as Indian Chief Executive longer than anyone in Oklahoma's history. Johnston was selected as the candidate for Chickasaw governor by the Chickasaw National Party. Although his opponents had much more experience, Johnston achieved a huge victory. While in office, Johnston's opponents attempted... middle of the paper... a forte that should be recognized to the fullest extent. Today, Chickasaws live a life that no one could have imagined back then. The life that Michael W. Lovegrove told of Douglas Henry Johnston in his book was extraordinary. It made me have a new respect for Indians and their strong beliefs. The struggle that the Chickasaws, along with numerous other tribes, endured was unimaginable. It is astonishing how cruel the federal government has been to the tribes. It was almost as if taking the money behind them wasn't enough, plus they had no interest in helping them achieve a better quality of life without Johnston's constant negotiations and fighting. This book also made me realize that we don't have defensive governors like Johnston once was. If we had more people like him, defending his people, our nation would not be the absolute chaos that it is.