Urban Couch (1927-2007)

Urban Couch, of Cherokee descent, was a professor emeritus of the WVU College of Creative Arts and the Honors Program. He was a U.S. Navy Veteran, artist, curator and member of the United Cherokee Indian Tribes of West Virginia. He was a strong proponent of educating public school children about the role of early indigenous people in shaping today’s culture and society. He developed a one-credit course on the Mound Builders, who were among the first inhabitants of the area now known as West Virginia. The NAS program is especially grateful to Professor Couch for designing our medicine wheel logo.