He was a member of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians, was the first Native American and first person of color to attend the University of North Carolina.

[3][8][9][10] Owl attended the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill from 1928 to 1929, graduating with a Master of Arts degree in history.

[11] His dissertation was titled "The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians: Before and After the Removal.”[3][12] Owl's goal in writing his thesis was to combat racist myths and stereotype around Native Americans.

[7] The year after Owl received his master's degree in 1929, Swain County, North Carolina, denied him the right to vote based on his presumed illiteracy as a Native American.

Owl subsequently testified before congress on this issue, resulting in legislation that granted citizenship and suffrage to all Eastern Band of Cherokee Indian members.

[7] Owl worked for the Bureau of Indian Affairs as a teacher and principal on reservations in North Carolina, Montana, and South Dakota.