Black Kettle was born near the Black Hills in Dakota country around 1803. 
He became an important southern Cheyenne chief.  Though Black Kettle
displayed the American flag along with the white flag of peace, his people
were slaughtered by Colonel John M.  Chivington's cavalry volunteers
during the Sand Creek Massacre of 1864.  Some of the survivors followed
Black Kettle southward to camp on the Washita River in Oklahoma.  Here
again, they declared themselves to be peaceful, only to be brutally
attacked in a surprise raid by Lieutenant-Colonel George A. Custer in
1868.  Black Kettle, who had always worked for peaceful relations with
white settlers, was killed during the Washita raid.