Tommy Cummings
Special to ICT
Longtime educator and Native advocate Peggy Larney was an accomplished voice for Indigenous representation in the Dallas area and influenced others in the community to do the same.
Larney, a citizen of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, died Jan. 24 in Dallas at age 81. Her death was attributed to complications following a dialysis treatment, according to her son, Brian Larney.
Peggy Larney spent much of her professional life with the Dallas Independent School District, where she retired as director of the American Indian Education Program. One of her most notable achievements was leading the removal of 10 Native American mascots and logos from Dallas ISD schools over two years.
She was founder of American Indian Heritage Day in Texas, playing a key role in drafting legislation that established the last Friday in September as a statewide day recognizing the historical, cultural, and social contributions of Native peoples in Texas. She was instrumental in creating Indigenous Peoples’ Day in the city of Dallas.
Larney also founded Indian Citizens Against Racial Exploitation, which advocates for respectful and accurate representation of Indigenous people in media, education and public life.
“Peggy touched many lives in a positive manner and showed them how to continue the legacy she has left behind,” said Albert Old Crow, who has hosted “Beyond Bows & Arrows” for 30 years on Dallas radio station KNON.
Larney has been recognized as an honored elder at powwows, cultural gatherings and national conferences, including the Society for Advancing Chicano/Hispanic and Native Americans in Science.
A wake will be held Tuesday, Feb. 10, from 4-7 p.m. at Jeter & Son Funeral Home in Dallas, with a funeral service scheduled at the Dallas Indian United Methodist Church at 11 a.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 11 – what would have been her 82nd birthday.
Building a community
Born in 1944 in McAlester, Oklahoma, she attended Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas, then went on to attend Mountain View College and El Centro College in the Dallas area before earning a business degree from the University of Texas at Arlington.
She arrived in Dallas during the relocation era, when a number of Native people moved into the area under the Indian Relocation Act in the 1950s. She often spoke about how Native families who moved to Dallas shaped the modern urban Native community.
She was featured in major cultural and media platforms, including PBS/KERA, local historical projects, and public forums addressing Native identity, resilience and truth-telling.
“She didn’t just join a community; she helped build one from the ground up,” according to her obituary posted with Jeter & Son Funeral Home.
In Dallas, she met and married Larry Larney, and they had two sons, Brian and Troy. Her husband, Larry, and son, Troy, are deceased.
‘A lion for justice’
Her drive to cultivate future community leaders is a significant part of her legacy, her friends say.
In a Facebook post, Laney Barrett wrote, “You hear many different ways to describe powerful leaders. Giants, mountains, pillars, elders, guides, mothers, Peggy Larney was and is all of those things and more. Peggy was not shy in her beliefs, her passions; she was a lion for justice and emboldened others to do the same.”
Her son, Brian, took on activist positions alongside his mother and appreciated her influence. In the past few days, he’s been comforted by the positive comments about his mother on social media.
“From what I’ve read on Facebook tributes to her, from those who knew her, saw how she pushed,” he said. “They’ve said that from their experiences. That was nice to read and hear.”
Emilia Gaston, who moved to Dallas in her early 20s, said Peggy Larney was a significant influence on young people.
“I think especially with young people, she saw opportunities for those of us who needed encouragement and a place to develop and learn,” said Gaston, now a Tennessee resident.
“I can’t count the hours I’ve spent over the last decade or so sitting with Peggy and Brian, talking about anything and everything, getting feedback and genuine concern for me, motivation to keep going, and reassurance that they were here for me even when we’ve been at a physical distance.”
Phyllis Leeann Nuno of Dallas said, “Peggy played a significant role in my journey of embracing my Native identity.”
Nuno said she won’t forget Larney’s gentle assertiveness “if that’s even a thing.”
“She had a special way of influencing people,” Nuno said. “She encouraged me to be bold and confident when introducing myself. She also encouraged me to sing in my Native tongue, which initially I was apprehensive about performing in front of an audience. Through her guidance, I discovered my voice — both in song and as a Native woman with a message to share.”
Kristy Willis, a former committee member for the American Indian Heritage Day in Texas, watched Larney’s influence over the years and cherished her encouragement.
“She taught us a lot about speaking up, saying yes to different projects, and not being afraid,” she said.
‘Power of collaboration’
Rachel Salinas worked with Larney while in her capacity with the Intertribal Council of AT&T Employees. Salinas said Larney collaborated with AT&T to educate employees about Indigenous culture, working to educate on common misconceptions and emphasize the significance of Native American Heritage Day in Texas.
Working with Salinas, Larney used her position on the board of the United Inter-Tribal Center of Dallas and her team to provide 50 bicycles to Native children.
In December 2018, Salinas, president of the Texas chapter of the Intertribal Council of AT&T Employees, and Larney, a board member of the Urban Inter-Tribal Center of Texas, worked together.
“This is just one example of her dedication to community and her belief in the power of collaboration,” Salinas said. “Peggy’s legacy will endure in the next generation of leaders she helped shape, the lives she touched, and the community she helped build.”
Tommy Cummings is a Texas-based journalist who has worked at The Dallas Morning News, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, San Francisco Chronicle and USA Today, among others. He is of Muscogee Creek-Menominee-Potawatomi descent.