Sequoyah Schools Diamondettes dance-twirl team, circa 1971
Sequoyah’s legendary Diamondettes
The Diamondettes were the dance twirl team of Sequoyah Schools during the 1960s and 1970s, when the school operated as a Bureau of Indian Affairs boarding school serving Native students from tribes across the United States.According to recent recognition posts by the school and Cherokee Nation media, Ramona Daniels began working with the Diamondettes in 1963. Daniels brought a background in baton twirling and dance precision to the program and became closely associated with the team for decades. Her husband served as Sequoyah’s band director, linking the Diamondettes directly to the school’s marching band and football traditions.
The Diamondettes performed at football games, pep rallies, and school events and became one of the most recognizable student groups on campus. In recent years, Sequoyah publicly honored Daniels and former Diamondettes during a football game celebration recognizing the team’s legacy.
A Cherokee Nation “Remembering Sequoyah” feature described the organization this way:
“As the sense of cultural pride among the students grew, a special group of young women took center stage at Sequoyah, and the Diamondettes were born.”
The team emerged during a period of cultural reawakening among Native students in the 1960s and 1970s. At the time, Sequoyah was one of the country’s best-known Native boarding schools.
Known Diamondettes identified through photographs, alumni comments, and public posts include:
Linda Tommie
Lela Gast
Retta Fields
Wanda Jones
Norma Vann
Marilyn Moore
Lendy Adams
Joann (surname currently unidentified)
Former students and alumni continue to remember the group decades later. In one social media recollection, an alumna remembered her sister Lendy Adams performing with the team and recalled interactions with Ramona Daniels during practices and performances.
The Diamondettes remain an important part of Sequoyah School history, representing the intersection of school spirit, performance culture, Native student life, and marching band tradition during the BIA era.
For additional perspective on Native Americans and baton twirling read Where Native Kids Were Sent to Be Americanized featured in Mother Jones.