Albert Campbell

Albert Campbell (17 April 1894 – 30 November 1961) was a French-Cree (Métis) Canadian musher and trapper. He gained popularity as a Canadian "national hero" after winning the 1917 Red River Derby sled dog race.

Life Campbell was born in The Pas, Manitoba to the family of a Cree father John Campbell (1875 – 1917) and a French mother Adeline Beauchamp (1877 – ?). He won The Pas Dog Derby in 1916, the first annual of long dog sled race held in his hometown as a part of Northern Manitoba Trappers' Festival.

However, he became best known in 1917 for winning the Red River Derby, the Winnipeg – Saint Paul dog sled race, which was part of the Saint Paul Winter Carnival organized by the Saint Paul Outdoor Sports Carnival Association from 27 January to 3 February 1917. His younger brother Gabriel, who also competed in the race, finished in fourth place. According to Campbell, his father had died two weeks before the race started, and his last words were "win that race, my boy." The race gained such widespread popularity that the Canadian government was reporting the news of the Campbell brothers' progress to the Canadian troops fighting overseas in the First World War.

Albert Campbell died on 30 November 1961. He is buried at Saint Mary's Cemetery in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

In popular culture The 1994 Disney film Iron Will, is based on Campbell's American competitor in the 1917 race, Fred Hartman, although the fictionalized protagonist features some elements of Campbell's story (for example, the death of his father shortly before winning the race). The film features two Native American racers, but depicts them coming in second and third places.