Wednesday, November 30, 2011
During this month in 1945, Navy Commander Ernest Evans was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. The Native man from Oklahoma was killed in battle during World War II.
Tuesday, November 29, 2011
During this week in 2000, the Voice of the Yakama Nation went on the air. KYNR is located in Toppenish, Washington. The Native radio station airs national and local programing and broadcasts from powwows, round dances, and school sporting events.
Monday, November 28, 2011
During this week in 1900, members of a Haida village organized the first local Native government. They adopted a constitution providing for a city council, street commissioner, school board, village police and a village clerk. More than a decade later, three Haida villages combined at the present site of Hydaburg, Alaska.
Friday, November 25, 2011
During this week in 2005, the Canadian government announced its two billion dollar compensation plan for former students of Indian residential schools.
Thursday, November 24, 2011
On this day in 1848, the Stockbridge Indians in Wisconsin Territory entered into a treaty with the United States. They agreed to sell and relinquish land to the government for monetary payments.
Wednesday, November 23, 2011
On this day in 1872, Ten Bears died. The Comanche leader was known for representing his people including on a trip to Washington.
Tuesday, November 22, 2011
During this month in 2009, the Collegiate Church officially apologized to Lenape people for past mistreatments during a reconciliation ceremony in New York. The church was started by Dutch Settlers in the 1600s.
Monday, November 21, 2011
During this month in 2008, United Tribes Technical College President Dr. David Gipp was honored by the American Civil Liberties Union for his lifelong commitment to the work of racial justice.
Friday, November 18, 2011
During this month in 2007, lawmakers in the U.S. House passed legislation to designate the day after Thanksgiving a day to pay tribute to American Indians. Legislation to designate the day was passed by Congress and signed by the president in 2009. The Friday immediately following Thanksgiving Day of each year is recognized as Native American Heritage Day.
Thursday, November 17, 2011
During this week in 2008, Eva Aariak was sworn into office as premier of Nunavut. The Native woman became the Canadian territory’s second premier and first woman to lead the territorial government.
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
On this day in 1990, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act was signed into law. NAGPRA provides a process for museums and federal agencies to return certain Native American sacred items, human remains, and cultural and funerary objects to tribes.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
During this week in 2009, Mexico’s Yaqui Indians buried remains after an effort with Arizona’s Pascua Yaqui Tribe to get them back from New York’s American Museum of Natural History. A century earlier, a U.S. anthropologist took the remains from a massacre site of men, women and children who were killed by troops in an attempt to eliminate the tribe.
Monday, November 14, 2011
During this month in 2010, Canada endorsed the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Canada, New Zealand, Australia and the United States voted against the non-biding declaration in 2007, all have since reversed their positions. The Canadian government said the endorsement was a way to strengthen its relationship with Native people.
Friday, November 11, 2011
During this week in 1997, Annie Dodge Wauneka died. She was the first woman elected to the Navajo Nation tribal council and a health educator who received the Presidential Medal of Freedom.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
On this day in 1998, American Indian and Alaska Native veterans were honored by the U.S. Department of Defense. The ceremony featured performances by veterans from Alaska and a special tribute to Navajo Code Talkers.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
During this week in 1978, the Indian Child Welfare Act was made law. It set federal requirements for Indian child custody proceedings. Also referred to as ICWA, the legislation was passed in response to the high number of Indian Children being removed from their homes. ICWA also seeks to keep American Indian children with American Indian families.
Tuesday, November 8, 2011
During this month in 1871, President Grant established the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in southeastern Arizona Territory.
Monday, November 7, 2011
During this month in 2009, a ceremony was held at Stockholm's Museum of National Antiquities to return 22 skulls to Native Hawaiians.
Friday, November 4, 2011
During this week in 2009, President Obama and his cabinet held a historic meeting with tribal leaders in Washington, D.C. to address issues facing their communities.
Thursday, November 3, 2011
During this month in 1944, the American Indian and Alaska Native advocacy organization, the National Congress of American Indians was established.
Wednesday, November 2, 2011
During this month in 2005, the Canadian government announced its two billion dollar compensation plan to former students of Indian residential schools for abuses they suffered. The government sent out checks, made an official apology and established a commission to document the experiences of students.
Tuesday, November 1, 2011
During this week in 1968, the US Post Office issued a six cent stamp of Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph.
Monday, October 31, 2011
During this month in 2010, the Hopi Tribe lost its last Hopi Code Talker, Rex Pooyouma. The 93-year-old was one of 10 Hopi Code Talkers who served during World War II.
Friday, October 28, 2011
During this week in 1986, Congress enacted the Indian Alcohol and Substance Abuse Prevention Act for tribes to develop and implement treatment and prevention programs.
Thursday, October 27, 2011
During this month in 1949, the Effigy Mounds in Iowa were designated as a National Monument. The mounds built by eastern woodland tribes are in the shapes of mammals, birds and reptiles.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
During this month in 1990, the Native American Languages Act was passed by Congress to preserve, protect, and promote the use of Native languages.
Tuesday, October 25, 2011
During this week in 1994, the Indigenous Peoples’ Brain Injury Association was founded. It was established for the benefit of all tribes in North Dakota.
Monday, October 24, 2011
During this month in 2006, “Flags of Our Fathers” premiered across the country in close to 2,000 theaters. October 20th marked the debut of the film, featuring the story of the World War II Pima veteran Ira Hayes, who was born on the Gila River Indian nation in Arizona.
Friday, October 21, 2011
During this month in 1934, two Native graduates of the Sage Memorial Hospital School of Nursing went before the Arizona nursing board. On October 25th Ruth Henderson and Charlotte Adelle Slivers were granted their nursing license. They are noted as the first from the school to achieve these honors at this time.
Thursday, October 20, 2011
During this week in 2010, the U.S. Federal Government announced a settlement in the Keepseagle case. The lawsuit was filed in 1999 on the basis of discrimination and denial of access to farm loan programs. Under the agreement, the government would pay a total of $760 million with, $680 million of that amount towards damages and a forgiveness of $80 million dollars in outstanding farm loan debt.
Wednesday, October 19, 2011
During this week in 1988, The Indian Gaming Regulatory Act was passed by Congress.
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
During this week in 1869, Metis people created the National Council of the Metis to represent their people in negotiations with the Canadian government.
Monday, October 17, 2011
During this month in 2009, Jefferson Keel was elected president of the National Congress of American Indians. The Chickasaw man previously served as NCAI First Vice-President. The organization includes member tribes from across the country and works to inform the public and Congress on the rights of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
Friday, October 14, 2011
During this week in 2010, President Obama signed into law the Indian Veterans Housing Opportunity Act. It made changes to certain Native American housing programs. Native veterans, their families and survivors were being denied low-income housing assistance due to an oversight that had allowed veterans disability and survivor benefits count as income. The new law fixed the flaw.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
During this month in 2007, an Indigenous summit was held in the Mexican state of Sonora. The Zapatista National Liberation Army and other groups called for unity among the world's Indigenous people. Native people from the US, Canada and other countries talked about ways to strengthen their cultures.
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
On this day in 1913, "Benny" Benson was born in Alaska. At 13, he designed the Alaska Flag with eight gold stars on a field of blue. The flag depicts the Big Dipper and the North Star.
Tuesday, October 11, 2011
On this day in 1996, KNBA the first urban all-Native radio station went on the air. The station is located in Anchorage, Alaska.
Monday, October 10, 2011
On this day in 2010, Hopi radio station KUYI celebrated its 10th anniversary. The event in Arizona included Hopi musicians and other Native artists.
Friday, October 7, 2011
On this day in 2002, the nearly three-thousand mile “Sovereignty Run” ended on the steps of the US Supreme Court in Washington, DC.
Native people began the run a month earlier from Washington state. A rally was held to coincide with the high court’s new term. Tribal leaders said Supreme Court decisions against tribes in the past two decades had eroded tribal sovereignty.
Thursday, October 6, 2011
During this week in 1944, Van T. Barfoot was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. During World War II, the Choctaw man knocked out two machine gun nests, which led to the capture of German soldiers. He also carried two wounded commanders to safety.
Wednesday, October 5, 2011
During this week in 1986, Congress designated the Nez Perce National Historical Trail. It stretches from Oregon to Montana and covers the path the Nez Perce took in their flight from the Army in 1877. Nez Perce people covered more than a thousand miles on the trip which lasted from June to October.
Tuesday, October 4, 2011
During this month in 1962, the Institute of American Indian Arts opened in Santa Fe, New Mexico. The fine arts college offers four-year degrees in Studio Arts, New Media Arts, Creative Writing, Museum Studies and Indigenous Liberal Studies.
Monday, October 3, 2011
During this week in 1979, Dena’ina people in Kenai, Alaska celebrated a potlatch for the first time in 70 years. Potlatches were stopped by the Russian Orthodox Church in the early 1900s.
Friday, September 30, 2011
During this week in 1962, the first issue of the Tundra Times was published in Alaska. The weekly newspaper was the first statewide vehicle for Alaska Native people to communicate about their issues like land claims.
Thursday, September 29, 2011
During this month in 2010, Daniel Libke took office as the first-ever police chief of the Ho-Chunk Nation of Wisconsin. It was a major step by the tribe to establish its own police force.
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
On this day in 1971, Alaska Governor William Egan signed a proclamation declaring the first week of October as “Alaska Native Peoples Week.” The week was to recognize contributions of Alaska Native people to the state.
Tuesday, September 27, 2011
On this day in 1917, the Cocopah Indian Reservation was established by executive order. More than 1,000 acres were set aside for the reservation south of Yuma, Arizona. According to the Cocopah Indian Tribe, the reservation is now more than 6,000 acres.
Monday, September 26, 2011
During this month in 1794, eight Russian Orthodox monks arrived in Kodiak, Alaska. They taught their faith to Native people in the region and established a church.
Friday, September 23, 2011
During this month in 2007, a Tlingit headdress taken from a medicine person’s grave more than a century earlier, returned home to Southeast Alaska. It was repatriated from the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington D.C.
Thursday, September 22, 2011
On this day in 1866, the Shoalwater Bay Indian Reservation was established by executive order. According to the Shoalwater Bay Tribe in Washington, there were holdouts who refused to relocate to other reservations. The reservation was set aside with the intent that those last holdouts would have their own reserved lands.
Wednesday, September 21, 2011
During this month in 1971, the Tanana Chiefs Conference was officially incorporated in Alaska. Its purpose includes advancing tribal government, economic and social development and protecting traditional and cultural values.
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
During this week in 2008, then-Senator Barack Obama met with tribal leader from across the country in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Obama said he’d protect sovereignty and improve health care and education if elected president.
Monday, September 19, 2011
During this week in 1978, the Pascua Yaqui Tribe of Arizona became federally recognized and the reservation was established.
Friday, September 16, 2011
On this day in 2010, Taos Pueblo began two-days of events to commemorate the 40th anniversary of the return of the New Mexico tribe's sacred Blue Lake from the federal government.
Thursday, September 15, 2011
During this week in 1884, the Haskell Institute in Lawrence, Kansas was dedicated for educating Indian youth. Today, more than a thousand American Indian and Alaska Native students attend Haskell Indian Nations University each semester.
Wednesday, September 14, 2011
During this week in 1903, the Fort McDowell reservation was established by executive order. The 40-square mile reservation is located northeast of Phoenix. The land was formerly the ancestral territory of the once nomadic Yavapai people. They hunted and gathered food in Arizona’s desert and mountains.
Tuesday, September 13, 2011
During this month in 1972, the Bureau of Indian Affairs was ordered to send a high school teacher to Emmonak, Alaska. A lawsuit was filed by students and parents. The case eventually led to a requirement that high schools be built in rural Alaska.
Monday, September 12, 2011
During this week in 1989, the US Postal Service issued a 28-cent stamp honoring Sitting Bull. The portrait of the Lakota leader was based on photographs from Smithsonian Institution archives.
Friday, September 9, 2011
During this month in 2010, the Piapot First Nation in Saskatchewan honored its famous chief with three days of celebrations. Piapot was known to be a brave warrior but also a peaceful negotiator who championed the rights of his people.
Thursday, September 8, 2011
On this day in 2010, Marine Sgt. Allen Dale June passed away. He was one of the original 29 Navajo Code Talkers. They developed an unbreakable code in the Navajo language used during World War II. June died of natural causes in a veterans home in Prescott, Arizona. He was 91-years-old.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
On this day in 1924, US Senator Daniel Inouye was born in Hawaii. He's a supporter of Native Hawaiian issues, including education and health care. He's worked with Hawaii Senator Daniel Akaka on a bill to grant Native Hawaiians similar federal treatment as Alaska Native and American Indian tribes.
Wednesday, September 7, 2011
On this day in 1978, Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park, which contains ancestral pueblo ruins, was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Tuesday, September 6, 2011
On this day in 1978, Colorado's Mesa Verde National Park, which contains ancestral pueblo ruins, was declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
Monday, September 5, 2011
On this day in 1871, a Bureau of Indian Affairs commissioner chose the site for the White Mountain reservation for Apache people in Arizona.
Thursday, September 1, 2011
On this day in 1911, an executive order was issued to set aside land in New Mexico for Jemez Pueblo.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
During this week in 2010, Ken Wyatt was elected as the Liberal representative for the seat of Hasluck in Western Australia. He made history becoming the first Indigenous person to be elected to the House of Representatives. Indigenous Australians have served as senators in the Upper House of Parliament.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
During this week in 2005, Hurricane Katrina struck the Gulf Coast. It devastated the United Houma Nation in Louisiana. Less than a month later, Hurricane Rita hit the tribe. Thousands of tribal citizens were directly impacted and many displaced.
Monday, August 29, 2011
During this month in 1986, an Act of Congress restored federal recognition to the Klamath Tribes in Oregon. Termination by the federal government in the 1950s heavily impacted the tribes.
Friday, August 26, 2011
On this day in 1915, Andrew Gronholdt was born in Sand Point, Alaska. He was largely responsible for reviving the tradition of Aleut bentwood hat making.
Thursday, August 25, 2011
During this week in 1960, the Cold Spring Rancheria in Fresno County, California, adopted an official tribal roll.
Wednesday, August 24, 2011
During this month in 1965, the Central Council of the Tlingit and Haida Indians was organized by an act of Congress.
Tuesday, August 23, 2011
During this week in 1983, the Cook Inlet Tribal Council was established in Alaska. It provides social education and employment services to Alaska Native and Native Americans living in the Cook Inlet region.
Monday, August 22, 2011
During this month in 2010, the Arizona Board of Regents granted Northern Arizona University final approval to begin building a Native American Cultural Center on its Flagstaff campus. A grand opening ceremony will be held this October.
Friday, August 19, 2011
During this month in 1905, Alaska Native leader Chief Joseph Friday was born. From the community of Chevak, he was said to be an important cultural leader who spoke about traditional values and often led traditional dancing.
Thursday, August 18, 2011
During this month in 1970, about two dozen Native people occupied Mount Rushmore in South Dakota. They camped out for three months to draw attention to Native issues like sovereignty, treaty rights and poverty.
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
During this month in 1935, the Indian Arts and Crafts Act was passed by Congress. Its purpose was to promote the economic welfare of tribes and individuals through the development of Indian arts and crafts and to expand the market.
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
During this month in 2009, Dr. Joseph Medicine Crow received the Medal of Freedom. The Crow man received America's highest civilian honor from President Obama during a White House ceremony. Medicine Crow was awarded for his service in World War II and his many cultural contributions.
Monday, August 15, 2011
During this month in 1987, the Aleut Foundation was officially incorporated. The Alaska foundation provides scholarships to Aleut people for post secondary education and career development.
Friday, August 12, 2011
During this week in 1971, Betty Ivanoff Menard became the first Alaska Native woman to summit Denali, North America’s highest peak, located in Alaska. The expedition she was on included three Germans, all reached the peak on the same day.
Thursday, August 11, 2011
During this week in 1971, a trust acquisition was issued for the Pechanga Indian Reservation. It was established in the 1800s and several trust acquisitions increased the size overtime. The reservation of more than 6,000 acres is located northeast of San Diego, California.
Wednesday, August 10, 2011
On this day in 1680, Ohkay Owingeh leader Po'pay and pueblo people in the southwest launched a successful revolt against Spanish colonists. Tribes across the southwest commemorate the Pueblo Revolt in remembrance of their ancestors who fought to protect their way of life and culture.
Tuesday, August 9, 2011
On this day in 1680, Ohkay Owingeh leader Po'pay and pueblo people in the southwest launched a successful revolt against Spanish colonists. Tribes across the southwest commemorate the Pueblo Revolt in remembrance of their ancestors who fought to protect their way of life and culture.
Monday, August 8, 2011
During this week in 2008, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs marked its 20th anniversary as an organization in Canada. Chiefs from 64 bands in the province gathered on the Brokenhead First Nation to discuss issues like economic development, treaties and governance.
Friday, August 5, 2011
During this month in 1978, the American Indian Religious Freedom Act was passed by Congress.
Thursday, August 4, 2011
During this week in 2006, hundreds of Indigenous leaders gathered for the Summit of Nations at Bear Butte in South Dakota. They discussed a number of issues including the protection of sacred sites, treaty rights, and the development of international peace agreements. Some attendees traveled to the event from South America.
Wednesday, August 3, 2011
On this day in 1948, a federal court ruled New Mexico had discriminated against Indians by restricting their vote. More than a month earlier, Miguel Trujillo Sr. from Isleta Pueblo attempted to register to vote and was refused. He sued the state and is credited for making it possible for New Mexico tribes to vote in state and national elections.
Tuesday, August 2, 2011
During this month in 2009, a ceremony was held on South Dakota’s Cheyenne River Sioux reservation to mark the 10th anniversary of the return of a Ghost Dance Shirt from a museum in Scotland. The shirt was taken from a fallen warrior after the Wounded Knee Massacre.
Monday, August 1, 2011
On this day in 1964, 57 presidents of villages in Alaska's Yukon and Kuskokwim areas vote to create the Association of Village Council Presidents. It was established by the Village Councils to work for the benefit of the tribal governments and the people of the Yukon Kuskokwim Delta.
Friday, July 29, 2011
On this day in 2010, President Obama signed the Tribal Law and Order Act into law to address crime in Indian Country. Federal and tribal officials acknowledge there are still many challenges and work to be done in Indian Country.
Thursday, July 28, 2011
During this week in 1959, the Indian Claims Commission recognized eleven bands of Indians in northern California. The bands became the federally recognized Pit River Tribe. Many of the people were fishers and gatherers whose lives were changed by the California Gold Rush and the occupation of the valley by white settlers.
Wednesday, July 27, 2011
During this month in 2009, Shawn Atleo was elected national chief of Canada’s Assembly of First Nations. The organization works to protect First Nations rights and exert their right to self-govern. Atleo won the top job after one of the longest and most grueling series of ballots in the organization's history.
Tuesday, July 26, 2011
During this week in 2007, the Tsawwassen First Nation voted in favor of the first modern urban treaty in British Columbia, Canada. The historic agreement with the federal and provincial governments included land and money. The treaty ended more than a decade of negotiations and land claims.
Monday, July 25, 2011
During this month in 1987, the Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump Interpretive Center opened in Alberta, Canada. The site’s considered to be one of the oldest and largest preserved buffalo jump sites, where Aboriginal people chased bison over the cliff and butchered them below.
Friday, July 22, 2011
During this week in 1979, Jay Silverheels was inducted to the Hollywood Walk of Fame. The Mohawk actor was well known for his role as Tonto in the Lone Ranger television series.
Thursday, July 21, 2011
On this day in 1775, the United States divided Indian Territory, present day Oklahoma, into three divisions.
Wednesday, July 20, 2011
On this day in 1972, the Alaska Native village corporation for King Island was incorporated. Located in the Bering Straits Region, Native hunters and ivory carvers first occupied the island, which is mostly precipitous rock.
Tuesday, July 19, 2011
On this day in 1991, Congress created the Nez Perce Historical Trail Foundation. The foundation educates the public about the 1877 flight of the Nez Perce from the US Army and protects the route which extends from Oregon to Montana.
Monday, July 18, 2011
On this day in 1931, Interior Alaskan Chief Thomas died. He was the last of the old-time chiefs of the Nenana area.
Friday, July 15, 2011
During this week in 2008, a restored version of film "The Exiles" premiered. On July 11th, Native author Sherman Alexie in conjunction with others presented Kent Machenzie's 1961 film in New York in celebration of the re-discovery of the film. "The Exiles" follows a group of Natives who left the reservation to live in downtown Los Angeles in the late 50s.
Thursday, July 14, 2011
During this week in 1979, in the Navajo Community of Church Rock, New Mexico, nearly 100 million gallons of toxic waste affected the area. The July 16th radioactive contamination was a result of a United Nuclear Corporation's processing mill break. Today, many Navajos are still dealing with health issues from the spill’s effects.
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
During this week in 2010, the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals upheld a decision granting the religious rights of an American Indian boy in Texas to have long hair.
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
During this month in 2007, a ruling by the South Dakota Supreme Court requiring the State Bar exam to include an essay question on Indian law went into effect. The question could include jurisdiction, civil rights, child welfare or gaming.
Monday, July 11, 2011
On this day in 2008, the Longest Walk 2 ended in Washington, D.C. Native people from across the country took part in the walk which started in California to raise awareness of Native American and environmental issues.
Friday, July 8, 2011
On this day in 1837, smallpox broke out in Kodiak, Alaska. Smallpox swept through Alaska from 1835 to1840 having a devastating impact on Alaska Native people.
Thursday, July 7, 2011
During this week in 1968, President Johnson signed a bill into law to pay Tlingit and Haida land claims in Southeast Alaska. It was for more than seven million dollars for loss of aboriginal lands.
Wednesday, July 6, 2011
During this week annually, Aboriginal people in Australia are recognized for their contributions. NAIDOC week or the National Aborigines and Islanders Day Observance Committee holds celebrations across the country. Aboriginal people established the committee in the 1920s to increase awareness of the status and treatment of Indigenous Australians.
Tuesday, July 5, 2011
During this week in 1982, the Cook Inlet Region Foundation was established to promote self-development and economic self-sufficiency among Alaska Natives. It provides, scholarships, grants and internships.
Monday, July 4, 2011
During this week in 1883, the Yuma Reserve was established by executive order in California for the Yuma Apache Tribe.
Thursday, June 30, 2011
During this week in 1990, Petroglyph National Monument was established in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It includes more than 20,000 carved images. Most were made hundreds of years ago by Indigenous people who etched images like animals and people into stone.
Wednesday, June 29, 2011
During this month in 2010, a plaque was unveiled recognizing the Rosebud Battlefield site as a National Historic Landmark in southeastern Montana. Lakota and Cheyenne warriors battled General George Crook's soldiers in June 1876 protecting their way of life from US government policy. Each side claimed victory. The Battle of the Little Bighorn took place a week later about 25 miles away.
Tuesday, June 28, 2011
During this month in 2008, Joe Medicine Crow received the Bronze Star and French Legion of Honor. The Crow tribal member was honored during a ceremony in Montana for his service in World War II. Medicine Crow was awarded the Medal of Freedom by President Obama a year later.
Monday, June 27, 2011
During this month in 2003, the Indian Memorial at the Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument was dedicated in Montana.
It recognizes Native people who fought in the 1876 battle against Lt. Col. George Armstrong Custer and his men. Custer and his men died battling Cheyenne, Sioux, and Arapaho warriors.
Friday, June 24, 2011
On this day in 2010, the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Healing Foundation launched a three-day event in Queensland, Australia. It included presenters specializing in traditional medicine, inter-generational trauma and healing. The event followed the 2008 government apology to Aboriginal children removed from their homes, known as the Stolen Generations.
Thursday, June 23, 2011
On this day in 1972, the Indian Education Act was passed to address the needs of American Indian and Alaska Native students including recognizing cultural and language needs in schools both on and off reservations.
Wednesday, June 22, 2011
During this month in 1996, the Governor General of Canada proclaimed June 21st to be National Aboriginal Day. It’s an opportunity for people to learn about First Nations, Métis and Inuit culture and their contributions to Canada. Events are held across the country annually.
Tuesday, June 21, 2011
During this week in 1884, Moravian missionaries named the community of Bethel in Alaska. Yup’ik Eskimos first established the village. Today it serves as the regional hub for 56 surrounding Alaska Native villages.
Monday, June 20, 2011
On this day in 1676, the governing council of Charlestown, Massachusetts held a meeting to discuss the details of the first thanksgiving proclamation. By a unanimous vote they proclaimed June 29 as a day of thanksgiving. Centuries later the roots of this proclamation would ignite controversy and protest throughout Native America and a call for historical accuracy.
Friday, June 17, 2011
During this week in 1934, the Indian Reorganization Act was solidified. Segments of the law restored tribes’ rights to manage their own lands.
Thursday, June 16, 2011
During this month in 1995, Native America Calling, the acclaimed national electronic talking circle, kicked off. June 5th, 1995, marked the beginning of live call-in program that today, connects nearly half a million listeners each weekday in thought provoking conversations. Currently the program is heard on over 50 stations in the U.S.
Wednesday, June 15, 2011
During this month in 1871, Kamehameha V established a day of recognition for his great grandfather, Kamehameha I. Each year, on June 11th, the state of Hawaii’s Kamehameha Day honors the monarch for his establishment of the unified Kingdom of Hawai'i comprising of several Hawaiian Islands, including Kaua'i, Moloka'i, and Maui.
Tuesday, June 14, 2011
During this week in 1977, the Inuit Circumpolar Conference opened in Barrow, Alaska. Inuit people from Alaska, Canada and Greenland attended the first official gathering.
Monday, June 13, 2011
During this month in 1868, Navajo leaders signed a treaty with the U.S. government to release their people from a four-year imprisonment at Ft. Sumner in New Mexico.
Friday, June 10, 2011
During this week in 1887, the Mi’kmaq Acadia First Nation Reserve was established in Nova Scotia Canada.
Thursday, June 9, 2011
During this week in 1914, Abraham Christian was born. He helped form the Venetie Indian Reservation in Alaska. The traditional chief was an advocate of tribal sovereignty.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
During this week in 2007, the U.S. House passed a bill to grant the Lumbee Tribe federal recognition status but it died in the Senate. The tribe, recognized by the North Carolina, continues to fight for federal recognition status.
Tuesday, June 7, 2011
On this day in 1913, Walter Harper reached the summit of Denali in Alaska. The Athabascan man was the first Alaska Native to reach the summit.
Monday, June 6, 2011
On this day in 1984, the U.S. Senate voted to make the temporary Select Committee on Indian affairs permanent. The Senate Committee on Indian Affairs studies and proposes legislation to address issues facing American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian people.
Friday, June 3, 2011
During this week in 1986, the Northwest Arctic Borough was created to improve the quality of life of residents in Northwestern Alaska on the Chuckhi Sea. There are 11 villages throughout the borough.
Thursday, June 2, 2011
On this day in 2008, funeral services for Paula Gunn Allen were held in California. The award-winning Native novelist, poet and scholar passed away after battling lung cancer. Her mixed heritage is credited for shaping her work in Native American literature.
Wednesday, June 1, 2011
During this week in 1962, the Alaska Native Brotherhood Hall in Sitka became a nationally designated site. The hall honors the Alaska Native Brotherhood and the Alaska Native Sisterhood for their contributions to Alaska and the Native community.
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
On this day in 2006, the Navajo Nation received a surprise visit from legendary television talk show host Oprah Winfrey who stopped on the reservation to gather footage for "The Oprah Winfrey Show." Hundreds of Navajo people gathered in Window Rock, Arizona to greet the celebrity who recently wrapped up her show after 25 years.
Monday, May 30, 2011
During this week in 2008, thousands of First Nations people participated in the Day of Action. Demonstrations were held across Canada to raise awareness about contaminated water, health care, housing, education and other First Nations issues.
Friday, May 27, 2011
During this month in 2009, Navajo Code Talker John Brown, Jr. died. He was one of the original 29 Navajos who first developed a code in their Native language and used it in military conversations during World War II.
Wednesday, May 25, 2011
During this month in 2005, Navajo Code Talker Teddy Draper, Sr. received the Purple Heart decades after being injured in World War II. A ceremony was held for him in Window Rock, Arizona.
Tuesday, May 24, 2011
During this month in 2008, a new white marble headstone from the Department of Veterans Affairs was unveiled at a South Dakota cemetery for Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate war hero Woodrow Wilson Keeble. He posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his actions in the Korean War.
Monday, May 23, 2011
During this week in 2007, services were held for 25-year-old Army Sergeant Christopher Gonzalez who was killed in Iraq. He was the eighth Navajo Nation member killed in Iraq or Afghanistan. Nearly a dozen Navajo tribal members have died serving in the military in the Middle East.
Friday, May 20, 2011
During this week in 1999, the Cook Inlet Region Native corporation opened and dedicated the Talkeetna Alaskan Lodge on the south side of Mt. McKinley. The ceremony included the unveiling of the Alaska Climbers Hall of Fame.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
On this day in 2008, then-Senator Barack Obama was adopted into the Crow Nation. A ceremony was held in Montana and he was given the name One Who Helps People Throughout the Land.
Wednesday, May 18, 2011
During this week in 1862, Congress passed the Homestead Act. It allowed settlers to buy 160 acres of former Indian land in the west for a $1.25 per acre and brought more settlers to the west.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
During this month in 2008, the Soboba Band of Luiseno Indians Settlement Act passed the U.S. House. The bill resolved decades of litigation over the California tribe’s water rights and was later signed into law.
Monday, May 16, 2011
During this week in 2010, legendary Navajo comedian and singer-songwriter Vincent Craig passed away after battling cancer. Over the weekend, a memorial was held for Craig in Whiteriver, Arizona.
Friday, May 13, 2011
On this day in 1995, the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological repository opened in Kodiak, Alaska. The museum houses cultural artifacts and resources of the Alutiiq people of Kodiak Island.
Thursday, May 12, 2011
During this month in 2010, the U.S. Election Assistance Commission announced it was issuing voter guides in Navajo, Cherokee, Dakota and Yup'ik. The agency found the four languages to be the most commonly spoken Native languages in the U.S. with more than 200,000 speakers. A majority living in Alaska, Arizona, New Mexico, Oklahoma and South Dakota.
Wednesday, May 11, 2011
During this month in 1923, the U.S. issued the first ever 14-cent postage stamp. The image of an American Indian with a headdress appears on the stamp. According to the Smithsonian National Postal Museum, the design was inspired by a photograph of Brule Sioux Chief Hollow Horn Bear.
Tuesday, May 10, 2011
During this month in 2005, the Quapaw Tribe lost a spiritual leader and the last full-blood member. 92-year-old Robert Whitebird died in a nursing home. He founded the Oklahoma Indian Rights Association and was the first president of the Inter-Tribal Council.
Monday, May 9, 2011
On this day in 1999, a ribbon cutting ceremony was held for the Alaska Native Heritage Center in Anchorage, Alaska. The center shares the rich heritage of Alaska Native people.
Friday, May 6, 2011
During this week in 1995, the village of Gambell on St. Lawrence Island in Alaska became a federally recognized tribe.
Thursday, May 5, 2011
During this week in 2009, the U.S. Senate confirmed Dr. Yvette Roubideaux as director of the Indian Health Service. The Rosebud Sioux tribal member is the first woman director of the IHS which serves nearly two million American Indian and Alaska Native people.
Wednesday, May 4, 2011
During this month in 2007, Virginia tribal leaders met Queen Elizabeth during the commemoration of Jamestown's 400th Anniversary. The queen mentioned Native Americans during her address at the State Capitol, but she didn't apologize for the impacts the English settlement had on Native people. Many Native people felt that it would have been an opportunity for her to apologize.
Tuesday, May 3, 2011
During this week in 1885, William Paul was born. He was a champion of Native rights in Alaska and was the first Native attorney and legislator in the state.
Monday, May 2, 2011
During this week in 1993, the Alaska Native Justice Center was established to serve the unmet needs of the Alaska Native community in the criminal and civil justice systems.
Friday, April 29, 2011
During this month in 1869, Ely Samuel Parker was appointed as the first commissioner of Indian Affairs. The Seneca man was a civil engineer, lawyer and officer in the Civil War.
Thursday, April 28, 2011
During this week in 1994, Cherokee Nation Chief Wilma Mankiller met with President Bill Clinton at the White House. Clinton stressed the importance of self-determination and continued funding for the Indian Health Service.
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
During this month in 1951, Army Corporal Mitchell Red Cloud, Jr. posthumously received the Medal of Honor. The Ho-Chunk man served in the Korean War. He fired at the advancing enemy while his company secured its defense and evacuated the wounded. Red Cloud maintained his position until he was killed.
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
During this month in 2006, Alaska Native dog musher Emmitt Peters was inducted into the American Indian Athletic Hall of Fame. Known as the “Yukon Fox,” Peters won the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog Race on his first try in the 1970’s.
Monday, April 25, 2011
During this week in 2007, the human rights organization Amnesty International released the report “Maze of Injustice: The failure to protect Indigenous women from sexual violence in the USA” which focused on the high levels of sexual violence against Native women and barriers they face accessing justice. According to statistics, Native American and Alaska Native women are more than two and a half times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted than other women in the United States.
Friday, April 22, 2011
During this week in 2010, the Aboriginal Languages Recognition Act was introduced in Manitoba, Canada to preserve seven Aboriginal languages and recognize them as Aboriginal languages of the province. They included Cree, Dakota and Ojibway.
Thursday, April 21, 2011
During this week in 2010, the Havasupai Tribe and Arizona Board of Regents resolved a lawsuit. The agreement resolved litigation involving allegations of unauthorized genetic studies of Havasupai people. Years before, Arizona State University researchers collected blood samples from tribal members for diabetes research which were then used in DNA studies.
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
On this day in 2010, BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded spilling oil in the Gulf of Mexico. Louisiana coastal state recognized tribes were impacted. One tribe is suing BP claiming their ancestral lands and fishing grounds were devastated. Tribal communities were already dealing with destruction from hurricanes and erosion before the oil spill.
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
On this day in 2010, the Government of New Zealand announced its support of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples.
The country's Minster of Maori Affairs made the announcement at the UN in New York. New Zealand, the U.S., Canada and Australia opposed the declaration when it was adopted by the General Assembly in 2007.
Monday, April 18, 2011
During this month in 1934, the Johnson-O'Malley Act was passed. It provided the Interior Secretary with the authority to arrange with states and territories education and other services for American Indians.
Friday, April 15, 2011
During this week in 1976, the United National Indian Tribal Youth organization or UNITY was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Oklahoma. It was formed to aid in the development of leadership among Native American youth.
Thursday, April 14, 2011
During this week in 1976, the United National Indian Tribal Youth organization or UNITY was incorporated as a non-profit organization in the state of Oklahoma. It was formed to aid in the development of leadership among Native American youth.
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
On this day in 2009 the PBS television series “We Shall Remain” premiered across the nation. The five-part series was a collaboration between Native and non-Native scholars and filmmakers. It highlighted American Indian resistance over four centuries including episodes of first contact in New England to the Native civil rights movement.
Tuesday, April 12, 2011
During this week in 2008, the U.S. Board on Geographic Names voted to rename a mountain in Phoenix, Arizona. The board approved changing Squaw Peak to Piestewa Peak in honor of Lori Piestewa. The Hopi woman was the first Native American woman to die in combat while serving in the U.S. military. She was killed in Iraq in 2003.
Monday, April 11, 2011
During this month in 1878, the Sheldon Jackson School was founded in Sitka, Alaska. Presbyterian missionaries started it as an industrial and training school for boys. It later became Sheldon Jackson College. The institution closed its doors in 2007.
Friday, April 8, 2011
During this week in 2009, the Seminole Tribe of Florida announced its museum earned national accreditation. The Ah-Tah-Thi-Ki Museum was the first tribally governed museum in the U.S. to receive official certification from the American Association of Museums. Located on the Big Cypress reservation, north of Miami, the museum is comprised of three buildings, a nature trail and a living village.
Thursday, April 7, 2011
During this week in 2010, former Cherokee Nation Principal Chief Wilma Mankiller died in Oklahoma. She passed away shortly after it was announced she had cancer. The leader touched the lives of many, more than one thousand people attended her funeral.
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
During this week in 1984, the first meeting between the Cherokee Nation and the Eastern Band of Cherokee was held since the 1800’s. The Oklahoma and North Carolina tribes reunited in Tennessee for a second time in 2009. The Cherokee people were divided by the U.S. government's forced removal.
Tuesday, April 5, 2011
During this week in 2009, the Australian government adopted the UN Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples. Then-Prime Minister Kevin Rudd said it was an effort to “reset” relations between white Australians and Aborigines. Australia voted against the declaration with the U.S. and Canada when it was first adopted by the General Assembly.
Monday, April 4, 2011
During this month in 1910, Congress passed an act to forever waive tuition for Native American students at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Efforts have been made in the state to challenging the waiver. U.S. Colorado lawmakers recently introduced a bill to help protect the tuition waiver.
Friday, April 1, 2011
During this week in 1885, Captain Thomas Cloud of the Seminole Lighthorse Posse died. The posse policed the Seminole Nation. Cloud also served as a member of the United States Indian Police and was a U.S. mail contractor.
Thursday, March 31, 2011
During this month in 2003, Army Private First Class Lori Piestewa and her convoy were ambushed in Iraq. The Hopi woman from Arizona is believed to be the first American Indian woman ever killed in combat while serving in the U.S. military. She has received many posthumous awards and honors including the renaming of a Phoenix mountain in her honor.
Wednesday, March 30, 2011
On this day in 1867, the United States obtained Alaska from Russia. Under the treaty, Alaska Native people were subject to laws and regulations of the U.S. Alaska commemorates the event annually on the last Monday of March.
Tuesday, March 29, 2011
During this week in 1871, the first Native person to receive a PhD in anthropology was born. Dr. William Jones was known to provide the best early collection and account of the Meskwaki language. He practiced in the field of ethnography and curated many exhibits for the Smithsonian Museum.
Monday, March 28, 2011
During this week in 1882, the Havasupai Tribe in Arizona lost nearly 90 percent of its land after the government modified the reservation. Congress later reallocated 185,000 acres.
Friday, March 25, 2011
During this month in 1948, one of the first Indian Army Nurses died. Sister Bridgette Pleets was one of four Lakota nuns from South Dakota. She helped nurse soldiers back to health during the Spanish-American War in the late 1800s.
Thursday, March 24, 2011
On this day in 1989, the Exxon Valdez spilled more than 11 million gallons of crude oil into the waters of Prince William Sound, Alaska. The spill had devastaing impacts on many Alaska Native people.
Wednesday, March 23, 2011
During this month in 2010, U.S. Interior Secretary Ken Salazar signed an agreement with Canada's Indian and Northern Affairs Minister. The memorandum signed in Ontario was to improve the quality of life of Indigenous people in the U.S. and Canada through increased cooperation and information sharing.
Tuesday, March 22, 2011
During this week in 2010, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act was made permanent when President Obama signed the bill as part of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act. The Indian health care act strengthens and improves health care for nearly two million American Indians and Alaska Natives. It was the first update of Indian health care programs in more than a decade. It has been threatened by Republicans who want to repeal health care reform.
Monday, March 21, 2011
During this month in 2007, the Hualapai Tribal Nation in Arizona opened its Skywalk. The Skywalk is a glass bridge that enables visitors to walk beyond the rim of the Grand Canyon-4,000 feet above the canyon floor.
Friday, March 18, 2011
During this month in 1927, Congress passed the Alaska Grazing Act to give preference to Alaska Native people. A Presbyterian missionary had hoped to make reindeer herders out of Native hunters.
Thursday, March 17, 2011
During this month in 1982, the Alaska Native-owned healthcare organization Southcentral Foundation became officially incorporated in Alaska.
Wednesday, March 16, 2011
On this day in 2010, services were held in Saskatchewan for one of the most powerful and controversial Native leaders in Canada. David Ahenakew was a leader of the Federation of Saskatchewan Indians and the Assembly of First Nations. In 2002, he made anti-Semitic remarks to a reporter which tainted his career. He was 76-years-old when he died of cancer.
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
On this day in 1978, Congress passed an act to allow the Zuni Tribe to seek redress for lands taken from them without compensation. The act also added the Zuni Salt Lake to the lands held in trust for the New Mexico tribe.
Monday, March 14, 2011
During this month in 1970, more than 600 athletes participated in the first arctic Winter Games in Yellowknife, Canada. Participants came from the Northwest Territories, Yukon and Alaska.
Friday, March 11, 2011
On this day in 1907, nearly 300 acres were added to the Pechanga Indian Reservation in California. The people petitioned the federal government for farming land because most of the reservation was hilly and brushy.
Thursday, March 10, 2011
During this month in 1865, the Colorado River Indian Reservation was established. The reservation spans the Colorado River and has land in Arizona and California. It is home to four different tribes with about 3,500 tribal members.
Wednesday, March 9, 2011
On this day in 1951, Army Captain Raymond Harvey led an attack during the Korean War. The Chickasaw man charged through enemy fire and though wounded, he refused evacuation until the mission was complete. He received the Medal of Honor for his actions.
Tuesday, March 8, 2011
During this month in 2008, a White House ceremony was held for a Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate war hero. Army Master Sergeant Woodrow Wilson Keeble posthumously received the Medal of Honor. President Bush, lawmakers, family members and other guests honored Keeble for his heroic actions in the Korean War.
Monday, March 7, 2011
During this month in 2010, then-US Senator Byron Dorgan introduced legislation to ramp up federal efforts to prevent and treat diabetes among American Indian and Alaska Native people. The bill was introduced with three co-sponsors from Alaska, Hawaii and Maine.
Friday, March 4, 2011
On this day in 1977, William Paul died. The Southeast Alaska Native attorney was the first Alaska Native legislator and helped integrate public schools and won voting rights for Native people. He lived to be 91.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
On this day in 2009, the Kootenai Tribe of Idaho and U.S. Customs and Boarder Protection singed a Memorandum of Agreement to develop an Enhanced Tribal Card to establish identity, tribal memberships and country citizenship for border crossing. The federal agency works with tribes to modernize travel documents.
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
During this month in 1991, the Bering Straits Foundation became officially incorporated in Alaska. The foundation promotes the cultural enhancement and administers scholarships for Alaska Native people in the Bering Strait region.
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
During this week in 2008, Aboriginal and church leaders in Canada started a multi-city tour in Ottawa to promote the Truth and Reconciliation Commission on Indian residential schools. Participants set out to raise awareness and educate people about the schools and their impact on Aboriginal people. The commission was part of the government's settlement with former students who were abused at the schools.
Monday, February 28, 2011
During this week in 2003, more than 1,000 people gathered on the Pine Ridge reservation in South Dakota to recognize the 30th anniversary of the Wounded Knee Occupation. Members of the American Indian Movement occupied the Wounded Knee village to protest corruption in tribal government and oppression by the federal government.
Friday, February 25, 2011
During this month in 1858, Chief Leschi was hanged after being charged with murder. The Nisqually leader and others insisted he had not committed the crime. The Washington tribe honors the leader today with an annual walk-run event.
Thursday, February 24, 2011
During this week in 1983, eight tribes in Virginia were officially recognized by the state. Legislation has been introduced in the 112th Congress to federally recognize six Virginia tribes including the Chickahominy, the Upper Mattaponi, and the Rappahannock tribes.
Wednesday, February 23, 2011
During this week in 2007, Chief Illiniwek danced his last mock dance during the University of Illinois men's basketball game. The mascot was the center of controversy for decades. After 80 years, it was dropped more than two years after being named hostile and abusive by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.
Tuesday, February 22, 2011
During this month in 2005, two South Carolina tribes officially received state recognition. The Waccamaw Indian People and the Pee Dee Indian Nation proved a century-long presence in the state. The status allowed the tribes to seek funding and authenticate their arts and crafts as Natives.
Monday, February 21, 2011
During this week in 1897, Canadian Blackfoot long distance runner Deerfoot died after contracting tuberculosis. He started running as a messenger for the Blackfoot Confederacy in the 1800s racing between camps in Alberta, Saskatchewan and Montana. Deerfoot drew attention from sports promoters and eventually ran against people from around the world.
Friday, February 18, 2011
During this week in 1989, the first Elizabeth Peratrovich Day was celebrated in Alaska. The Alaska Native civil rights leader was instrumental in the passage of the state's Anti-Discrimination Bill of 1945.
Thursday, February 17, 2011
During this week in 1889, the Quileute reservation was established. The Washington Quileute tribe has become widely known due to it being featured in the young adult vampire books and movies "Twilight."
Wednesday, February 16, 2011
During this week in 2007, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts gained federal recognition status. The tribe fought for the status for 31 years. The tribe is trying to get into gaming. As a landless tribe, the chairman is seeking land for his people.
Tuesday, February 15, 2011
During this week in 1871, President Grant’s executive order rescinded the initial boundaries of the Mission Indian Reservation in San Diego County, California. They were reestablished by other acts in 1875 and '76.
Monday, February 14, 2011
On this day in 1931, Congress passed an act to authorize the president to establish the Canyon de Chelly National Monument in Arizona. Located on the Navajo reservation, the monument includes a number of cliff dwellings.
Friday, February 11, 2011
On this day in 2003, "The Fast Runner" was released on DVD. The award-winning Canadian Inuit film is an action thriller based on a traditional Inuit story about good and evil forces in an Inuit community.
Thursday, February 10, 2011
During this week in 2009, First Lady Michelle Obama visited the Interior Department. She told Indian Affairs employees they have a partner in the White House. She was presented a shawl and honor song.
Wednesday, February 9, 2011
During this month in 1982, the first Native American was appointed director of the Indian Health Service. Dr. Everett Rhoades, Kiowa, became the fifth director and served for more than a decade. He’s also credited for the development of the Association of American Indian Physicians in 1970.
Tuesday, February 8, 2011
During this month in 1854, Texas passed a law to allow the United States to pick sites for reservations in the state. There are three reservations, the Alabama-Coushatta, the Ysleta del Sur and the Kickapoo.
Monday, February 7, 2011
During this month in 2008, then-Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd apologized to the country's Aboriginal people for past wrongs made by the government. He focused on the mistreatment of Aboriginal children who were taken away from their families by the government, known as the stolen generations. Aboriginal leaders have since called on the government to back the apology up with efforts to improve Indigenous communities.
Friday, February 4, 2011
During this week 1802, Chief Orono died. The Penobscot leader was a Catholic and helped keep the religion alive among his people during the American Revolution. He’s believed to have been 108 years old at the time of his death.
Thursday, February 3, 2011
During this week in 1925, the "mercy race" ends in Alaska. It was an effort to get diphtheria serum to Nome by dogsled in time to save the community from an outbreak of the disease. Native dog mushers participated in the run.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
On this day in 2010, Las Vegas entertainer Wayne Newton asked state lawmakers in Virginia to grant recognition for his tribe, the Patawomeck Indians. Newton said he learned to be proud of his heritage and passed around a picture of his grandfather. The committee voted unanimously to approve state recognition.
Tuesday, February 1, 2011
During this month in 1885, the Lumbee were recognized as an Indian tribe by North Carolina. The tribe has been working to gain full federal recognition for more than a century. The tribe continues to seek the status through Congress.
Monday, January 31, 2011
During this month in 2003, legislation was introduced in the U.S. House to grant federal recognition status to the Duwamish Tribe in Washington. The tribe was recognized in 2001 during the Clinton administration. The decision was overturned by the incoming Bush administration. The tribe continues to fight for federal recognition.
Friday, January 28, 2011
During this week in 1925, Maria Tallchief, the first American prima ballerina was born in Oklahoma. The Osage woman started ballet at 15. She was the prima ballerina for the New York City Ballet in the late 1940s.
Thursday, January 27, 2011
During this week in 1863, hundreds of Northwestern Shoshone men, women and children died in the Bear River Massacre. U.S. forces slaughtered them in present day Franklin County, Idaho. The Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation has acquired the massacre site and surrounding lands.
Wednesday, January 26, 2011
During this month in 1962, the U.S. Interior Department approved the Miccosukee Constitution and the tribe was officially recognized as the Miccosukee Tribe of Indians of Florida. The tribe has four reservation areas in the state with about 650 members.
Tuesday, January 25, 2011
On this day in 1968, the U.S. Indian Claims Commission ruled that the Mescalero Apache in New Mexico should received $8.5 million for lands taken in the 1800's. The tribe refused because the money could not be shared with other Apache bands.
Monday, January 24, 2011
During this month in 2009, the State-Tribal Collaboration Act was introduced in the New Mexico legislature to improve the government-to-government relationship with the state's 22 tribes by appointing a tribal liaison to every cabinet level agency and requiring the governor to hold an annual summit with tribes. The bill was signed into law less than two months later.
Friday, January 21, 2011
On this day in 2008, the last speaker of the Eyak language died. Honorary Chief Marie Smith Jones passed away in her sleep in Anchorage, Alaska. A website was launched this year to help people learn the language through weekly words and help from linguistic experts.
Thursday, January 20, 2011
On this day in 1830, Seneca chief Red Jacket died. His English name came from a red coat he wore given to him by the British, who employed him as a messenger. Red Jacket was known as a great speaker.
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
On this day in 1974, according to a report from the Bureau of Indian Affairs, the Menominee Tribe officially resumed receiving federal services. The tribe’s federal recognition status had been terminated more than a decade earlier.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
On this day in 1958, hundreds of Lumbee tribal members broke up a Ku Klux Klan rally in North Carolina. Armed with weapons, they chased the KKK from Lumbee country and stopped them from spreading their message of hate.
Monday, January 17, 2011
During this month in 1867, Benito Juarez started his fourth term as President of Mexico. He was the first full-blooded Indian to serve as the country's president and has been called one of Mexico's greatest heroes.
Friday, January 14, 2011
During this month in 1907, Charles Curtis became the first Native American to serve in the U.S. Senate. The Republican from Kansas was a member of the Kaw Nation of Oklahoma.
Thursday, January 13, 2011
During this month in 2009, the first-known Native American conjoined twins were separated by doctors in Oklahoma. The twins were born joined at the chest. The operation took three hours to separate Preslee and Kylee Wells. About 15 doctors and medical staff took part in the surgery. The girls were nearly three-months-old at the time.
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
During this week in 1945, Army Lieutenant Jack Montgomery was awarded the Medal of Honor. The Cherokee man from Oklahoma was honored for his actions in Italy during World War II.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
During this month in 1987, National Native News first aired. Today the show is produced in Albuquerque, New Mexico and is carried by tribal and public radio stations across the United States and Canada.
Monday, January 10, 2011
During this month in 1975, President Gerald Ford signed legislation creating the American Indian Policy Review Commission to review policy, law and administration related to affairs of the United States and tribes. One crucial recommendation by the commission established the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs.
Friday, January 7, 2011
During this week in 1996, Red Thunder Cloud died. He was said to be the last speaker of the Catawba language but his tribal identity has been challenged. He’s credited for preserving the Catawba language in songs and stories.
Thursday, January 6, 2011
During this month in 1969, Navajo Community College opened its doors as the first tribally established and operated institution in the United States. Known today as Dine College, the school has several campuses throughout the Navajo Nation..
Wednesday, January 5, 2011
On this day in 2010, Michigan Congressman Dale Kildee released a statement calling on Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele to apologize to Native Americans after Steele used the term "honest Injun" on Fox News. Tribal leaders and Native organizations also urged Steele to apologize.
Tuesday, January 4, 2011
During this week in 2010, the U.S. Census Bureau kicked off its road tour with a special focus on Indian Country. It was one of many efforts to ensure all American Indians and Alaska Natives were accurately counted in the 2010 Census.
Monday, January 3, 2011
On this day in 1975, President Ford signed a bill into law that enlarged the Havasupai reservation in Arizona by 185,000 acres. It also designated a section of the Grand Canyon National Park as a permanent traditional use area of the Havasupai people.
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