Toka Kuwa Aku Pi (Enemy Chases Him Back)
Sixth term as Tribal Chairman for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
Charles William Murphy has served the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe 32 years as Tribal Chairman and Tribal Councilman. Charles was born on Dec 27, 1948 to Rita Murphy and Frank Brave Bull in Fort Yates North Dakota. He is the descendant of Mahpiyamani-Walking Cloud and Tatanka Ohitika-Brave Buffalo. Charles attributes his success to his mother Rita Murphy-Harrison who taught him to understand that he must be helpful to those in need. Charles was raised in Porcupine North Dakota where he currently lives with his wife Ernesdean Shade Murphy. After graduating from high school, Charles attended one year of college at Saint Benedict College in Kansas. He was drafted into the military service where he served his country during the Vietnam era. Charles received the bronze star for bravery in Vietnam. after the military service he worked as a fire fighter, and police officer for Standing Rock. he was appointed by Frank Lawrence as the Economic Specialist for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
Charles was elected to Tribal Councilman in 1981-1983 as the Porcupine Tribal Councilman. Charles W. Murphy was elected as the Standing Rock Tribal Chairman in 1983-1987. he was re-elected as Chairman in 1987-1991. then he was re-elected as Chairman in 1994-1997 and 1997-2001 and in 2001-2005. Charles served as an At-Large Tribal Councilman 2007-2009. On September 30, 2009 Charles was elected to his sixth term as chairman of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.
He served as the Chairman of the Board of Director at United Tribes Technical College, Chairman of the Tribal Chairman Association, various committees and boards throughout his 32 years on Tribal Council. In 2006, he was appointed by Governor John Hoeven to the North Dakota State Higher Education Board. Also in 2006 Charles received the Forest Service Stewardship Award at the "Tree Bowl" at NDSU in the Fargo Dome.
Charles married Caroline "Kay" Ogg in 1973; they have three sons who live in North Dakota. Kay lost her battle to cancer in 1993. The Standing Rock Tribal Council established the Kay Murphy Cancer Fund to help people struggle with cancer for contribution to education on Standing Rock. Charles married Ernesdean Shade in 1997 and has one son who lives in Arkansas and they have eight grandchildren.
