Principal of Seattle Public Schools' American Indian Heritage School and Program, Robert Bruce Eagle Staff (1952-1996) was born on the Cheyenne River Indian Reservation in South Dakota. He moved to Seattle in 1980 and worked as vice principal at Summit Alternative School before coming to Indian Heritage. A few days before his death, Mr. Eaglestaff learned that his doctoral dissertation proposal on school administration involving the community had been approved at the University of Washington. He spoke out against racism, even in its subtlest form, and used humor as well his passionate eloquence to educate the community on issues such as using Native Americans as mascots.

In this image Bob Eagle Staff (or Eaglestaff) acts as advisor to the West Seattle ASB officers as they sought to change their mascot from the "Indians." ASB officers in the background include, left to right, Thomas Mar, Brandon Nakamura, Joshua Brockerman, and Sara Patterson. Mr. Eagle Staff is credited with transforming the 22-year-old American Indian Heritage School from a place of little hope to a vibrant community of college-bound students. Seattle School District's Robert Eagle Staff Middle School, opening in September 2017, is built at the site of the former Wilson-Pacific School, which housed American Indian Heritage School.

Caption information source: The Seattle Times, July 22, 1996, page B1
Caption information source: https://indiancountrymedianetwork.com/education/native-education/seattle-school-named-after-robert-eagle-staff-fourth-to-have-indigenous-name
Caption information also derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff and attached to the back of the photograph.