# Bill John Baker

_Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/bill-john-baker
Last updated: 2026-11-01

> Bill John Baker is a Cherokee politician who served as Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation. First elected in October 2011, Baker defeated three-term incumbent Chief Chad "Corntassel" Smith. Prior to his election as Chief, Baker served 12 years on the Cherokee Tribal Council. In 1999, Baker unsuccessfully ran for Deputy Chief of the Cherokee Nation.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 9 February 1952 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4909614#P569))
- **Place of birth:** Tahlequah ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4909614#P19))
- **Citizenship:** United States ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4909614#P27))
- **Occupation:** politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4909614#P106))
- **Political party:** Democratic Party ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4909614#P102))
- **Education:** Northeastern State University ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4909614#P69))
- **Positions held:** Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation (19 October 2011 – 14 August 2019) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4909614#P39))

## Questions

**When was Bill John Baker born?**  
Bill John Baker was born on 9 February 1952 in Tahlequah.

**What positions has Bill John Baker held?**  
Positions held by Bill John Baker include: Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation (2011–2019).

**Where did Bill John Baker study?**  
Bill John Baker was educated at Northeastern State University.

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): Bill John Baker](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bill_John_Baker) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q4909614](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q4909614) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)
- [Image: ChiefBillJohnBakerByPhilKonstantin.jpg by Phil Konstantin (Philkon) (CC BY-SA 3.0)](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:ChiefBillJohnBakerByPhilKonstantin.jpg)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article Bill John Baker, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0). Image: ChiefBillJohnBakerByPhilKonstantin.jpg — Phil Konstantin (Philkon), CC BY-SA 3.0.

## Cite this page

"Bill John Baker". DigiNepal. Last updated 1 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/bill-john-baker. Retrieved 5 November 2026.