Chief Joseph was born in Wallowa Valley, Oregon Territory on March 3, 1840. In 1877, when the United States tried to relocate the Nez Percé to a reservation, he reluctantly complied. After a group of white settlers was killed, tensions rose once more, prompting Chief Joseph to attempt leading his people to Canada, a move now recognized as a significant retreat in military history. Chief Joseph, born Hin-mah-too-yah-lat-kekt, was the leader of a Nez Percé band. His Native American name, Thunder Rolling Down a Mountain, was later known as Joseph, the name his father, Joseph the Elder, had adopted after his baptism in 1838.

Joseph the Elder had an extraordinary connection with the white settlers. He was among the first Nez Percé leaders to embrace Christianity, and his impact played a significant role in fostering harmony with the white community. In 1855, he skillfully negotiated a fresh treaty, resulting in the establishment of a brand-new reservation exclusively for the Nez Percé people. However, the tranquility was delicate. Following the discovery of gold in the Nez Percé region, Caucasian prospectors started to flood their territories. The dynamics swiftly shifted when the US government reclaimed numerous acres that were initially pledged to Joseph the Elder and his community. The furious leader condemned his previous American acquaintances and obliterated his holy book. Moreover, he declined to endorse the limits of this “new” reservation and left the Wallowa Valley.