Geronimo

Geronimo, 1887

Geronimo (June 1829 – February 17, 1909) was a Native American resistance leader from the Bedonkohe band of the Chiricahua Apache tribe. He was best known for leading his warriors on violent raids against Mexican and U.S. targets and for escaping confinement on the Apache reservation multiple times.

Geronimo (Native American name Goyathlay) was born in what is now New Mexico. When Mexico ceded much of the American Southwest to the United States following the end of the Mexican-American War, Anglo-Americans began settling lands that had traditionally been used by the Apache. Tensions broke out between the Apache and settlers, resulting in violence and death on both sides.

There were also longstanding tensions between the Apache and Mexicans, and in 1858 Mexican soldiers killed Geronimo’s mother, wife, and three children. This led to Geronimo’s subsequent long campaign of revenge against Mexicans.

The Apache were moved to the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona in the mid-1870s, but Geronimo escaped from the reservation with a band of followers three separate times. The U.S. Army was sent after him, and he surrendered for the final time in 1886.

After being held in Texas, Florida, and Alabama, Geronimo was finally incarcerated in 1894 at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, where he remained for the rest of his life, though he was allowed some public appearances. He co-authored an autobiography called Geronimo: His Own Story in 1905. Geronimo died in 1909 after being thrown from a horse.

Learn more about Geronimo through historical newspapers from our archives. Explore newspaper articles, headlines, images, and other primary sources below.

Articles and Clippings about Geronimo

Story of the murder of Geronimo's family in 1858 Fri, Apr 4, 1902 – Page 6 · The Charlotte News (Charlotte, North Carolina) · Newspapers.com1877 capture of Geronimo and removal of "renegade" Apache to the San Carlos Reservation in Arizona Sat, Apr 28, 1877 – Page 2 · Arizona Weekly Citizen (Tucson, Arizona) · Newspapers.com1880 account of capture of Geronimo by US Army Sat, Jan 10, 1880 – Page 4 · The Arizona Sentinel (Yuma, Arizona) · Newspapers.comGeronimo and other Apache outmaneuver Mexican Army, 1883 Sun, Oct 28, 1883 – 4 · Quad-City Times (Davenport, Iowa) · Newspapers.comGeneral Cook discusses Apache surrender in 1883; believes peace is possible Fri, Jun 22, 1883 – 2 · Chicago Tribune (Chicago, Illinois) · Newspapers.comGeronimo and followers accused in 1885 of murdering 2 miners after escaping San Carlos Reservation Mon, May 25, 1885 – Page 1 · The Philadelphia Inquirer (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania) · Newspapers.com1886 summary of the difficulties the US Army faced in fighting the Apache Mon, Jan 25, 1886 – Page 3 · The Daily Tombstone (Tombstone, Arizona) · Newspapers.comFirsthand account of Geronimo's final surrender in 1886 and the events leading up to it Thu, Sep 16, 1886 – Page 1 · The Leavenworth Weekly Times (Leavenworth, Kansas) · Newspapers.comReactions to news of Geronimo's final surrender in 1886 Sat, Sep 11, 1886 – 5 · Dollar Weekly News (Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania) · Newspapers.com1901 newspaper account of Geronimo's life at Fort Sill Sun, Apr 14, 1901 – Page 14 · Democrat and Chronicle (Rochester, New York) · Newspapers.comGeronimo writes his autobiography, called "Geronimo: His Own Story" Tue, Oct 23, 1906 – Page 6 · The Washington Times (Washington, District of Columbia) · Newspapers.comNews of Geronimo's death at Fort Sill in 1909 Thu, Feb 18, 1909 – 5 · The Baltimore Sun (Baltimore, Maryland) · Newspapers.comPhoto and account of Geronimo's life, published after his death in 1909 Wed, Feb 17, 1909 – 8 · The Boston Globe (Boston, Massachusetts) · Newspapers.comPicture of Geronimo and General Cook, featured in a 1909 newspaper Sat, Feb 27, 1909 – 12 · The Los Angeles Times (Los Angeles, California) · Newspapers.comQuote attributed to Geronimo about what he thinks will happen to Native Americans Fri, Apr 4, 1902 – Page 6 · The Charlotte News (Charlotte, North Carolina) · Newspapers.com