Black Hawk / Ma-ka-tai-me-she-kia-kiak / Sauk: Mahkatêwe-meshi-kêhkêhkwa - Born 1767 in Saukenuk, Illinois Country, British America – Died October 3, 1838 in Davis County, Iowa was a Sauk leader and warrior who lived in what is now the Midwestern United States of America.

Black Hawk did not belong to a clan (nation) that provided the Sauk with hereditary civil leaders, or "chiefs." He achieved status through his exploits as a warrior and by leading successful raiding parties.

Black Hawk's father Pyesa (py-e-sa) was the tribal medicine man of the Sauk people, and in his 1833 book, Black Hawk told his life story to Antoine LeClaire, a government interpreter, saying his great grandfather was born in the vicinity of Montreal.

Black Hawk is mostly known for the Black Hawk War which stretched from April to August 1832, with a number of battles, skirmishes and massacres on both sides.

On August 27, 1832 Black Hawk would surrender to Lieutenant Jefferson Davis, future president of the Confederacy. He would be released in late 1833.

The Black Hawk War was last Native American War fought on the east side of the Mississippi River.

There is much written about Black Hawk, and we encourage the reader to research this.

In modern times Black Hawk is considered a tragic hero and numerous commemorations exist. These are mostly in the form of eponyms; many roads, sports teams and schools are named after Black Hawk. Among the numerous wars in United States history, however; the Black Hawk War is one of few named for a person.

The Chicago Blackhawks of the National Hockey League / NHL indirectly derive their name from Black Hawk. Their first owner, Frederic McLaughlin, was a commander with the 333rd Machine Gun Battalion of the 86th Infantry Division during World War I, nicknamed the "Black Hawk Division" after the war leader. McLaughlin named his Hockey team in honor of his military unit. He purchased the team in May/June 1926, playing their 1st NHL game on November 17, 1926.

The team's name was spelled in two words as "Black Hawks" until 1986, when the club officially became the "Blackhawks", based on the spelling found in the original franchise documents.

The first logo for the Chicago Black Hawks was drawn by Irene Castle, McLaughlin’s wife in 1926.

In 2022, the Blackhawks organization stated their intent to keep the name and imagery, along with their belief that they "honor and celebrate legacy of Black Hawk" and that the name and logo "symbolizes this important and historic person.

NOTE
Engraving on left from 1834 Book (Life of Black Hawk - J. B. Patterson) and on right from 1847 book (Henry Trumbull - Thomas, Cowperthwait & Co).