Kalle Benallie 
ICT

Harvey Pratt made art that was in service to others. 

They made a lasting impact on many people within the Indigenous community and more. Pratt died on Dec. 31 at the age of 84.

Pratt, of Cheyenne, Arapaho and Sioux descent, was born in El Reno, Oklahoma and was later given the key to the city.  

He is survived by his wife of 30 years, Gina Posey Pratt, his four children and five grandchildren.

Pratt served in the Marine Corps during the Vietnam War from 1962 to 1965 and was part of the special recon unit, rescuing pilots who had been shot down. Decades later he created the National Native American Veterans Memorial outside of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C., for those from any tribe who wanted to perform ceremonies to honor their relatives who fought in the U.S. military.

Credit: The National Native American Veterans Memorial, November 2020 on the grounds of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. Designed by Harvey Pratt, Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribe. (Photo: Alan Karchmer for the National Museum of the American Indian)

“No matter how you feel about how our country has treated Native people, it’s important to honor all our Native warriors,” Pratt said in an ICT interview in 2019. “They fought to protect the land we live on. That’s what warriors do.

His design, called the “Warriors Circle of Honor,” was chosen out of 120 submissions. 

After his military service he worked for the Midwest City Police Department for seven years, graduated from the FBI Academy and worked for the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation for 45 years. He was an investigator, division director, interim director and most notably a forensic artist. He helped identify victims of high-profile murder cases like the Green River Killer, Ted Bundy, and the I-5 Killer.

“His award-winning art was sought-after by collectors around the world. He understood the importance of finding creative outlets that allowed him to process the grief that he experienced during difficult investigations. He was both warrior and artist. He was a rare embodiment of the warrior artist,” his obituary reads. 

Pratt also worked alongside the United States Secret Service, protecting multiple presidents, according to his obituary. 

Other commissions Pratt has completed include a bronze sculpture in Denver to memorialize the victims of the Sand Creek Massacre. His paintings are part of the permanent collections of the National Park Service, one depicts the 1868 Washita Massacre at the historic site in Cheyenne, Oklahoma.

Harvey Pratt’s mural at the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation office. (Photo courtesy of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation) Credit: (Photo courtesy of the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation)

The Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation said on Facebook that his artwork is throughout the headquarters building and their mural.

“We appreciate all that Harvey did for this agency and his legacy will live on forever,” the statement said. 

Pratt is in the Oklahoma State Bureau Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Law Enforcement Hall of Fame, the Oklahoma Military Hall of Fame and the Oklahoma Hall of Fame. 

Cheyenne and Arapaho Governor Reggie Wassana and Lieutenant Governor Hershel Gorham of the Cheyenne and Arapaho Tribes said on Facebook Pratt was a trusted friend and mentor in the community

“Harvey’s legacy of service, integrity, and cultural pride will continue to inspire generations to come,” they said. 

Kalle Benallie, Navajo, is a Multimedia Journalist, based out of ICT's Southwest Bureau. Have any stories ideas, reach out to her at kalle@ictnews.org.