# J. B. Milam

_Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation from 1941 to 1949_

Canonical: https://diginpl.com/people/j-b-milam
Last updated: 2026-11-01

> Jesse Bartley Milam (1884–1949) was best known as the first Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation appointed by a U.S. president since tribal government had been dissolved before Oklahoma Statehood in 1907. He was appointed by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1941, who reappointed him in 1942 and 1943; he was reappointed by President Harry S. Truman in 1948. He died while in office in 1949.

## Quick facts

- **Born:** 10 May 1884 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6104727#P569))
- **Died:** 8 May 1949 ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6104727#P570))
- **Occupation:** politician ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6104727#P106))
- **Positions held:** Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation (8 August 1938 – 8 May 1949) ([Wikidata](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6104727#P39))

## Questions

**When was J. B. Milam born?**  
J. B. Milam was born on 10 May 1884.

**What positions has J. B. Milam held?**  
Positions held by J. B. Milam include: Principal Chief of the Cherokee Nation (1938–1949).

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## Sources

- [Wikipedia (English): J. B. Milam](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/J._B._Milam) — [CC BY-SA 4.0](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/)
- [Wikidata item Q6104727](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q6104727) — [CC0 1.0](https://creativecommons.org/publicdomain/zero/1.0/)

## Licence and attribution

Text from the Wikipedia article J. B. Milam, licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0. This page's text is shared under the same licence. Facts from Wikidata (CC0).

## Cite this page

"J. B. Milam". DigiNepal. Last updated 1 November 2026. https://diginpl.com/people/j-b-milam. Retrieved 6 November 2026.