Monday, December 22, 2008

Thursday, December 11, 2008

On this day in 2004, Cecilia Fire Thunder took the oath of office as the first woman president of the Oglala Sioux Tribe in South Dakota. Fire Thunder was later impeached for her position on women's right to choose. The tribe now has a new woman president. Former State Senator Theresa Two Bulls was elected last month to lead the tribe.

Wednesday, December 10, 2008

On this day in 1991, the Custer Battlefield National Monument in Montana was renamed Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument. It sits on the site of the 1876 battle between U.S. forces and Lakota, Cheyenne and Arapaho people.

Tuesday, December 9, 2008

On this day in 1924, the Wupatki National Monument was established in Arizona. It's located about 45 miles north of the City of Flagstaff. The village ruins were occupied by Native people in the 12th century. The pueblo was once an important center for trade, judging from items found there, including copper bells from Mexico, shell beads and the remains of more than 40 birds from Mesoamerica.

Monday, December 8, 2008

During this week in 2007, an ice storm hit Oklahoma hard knocking out electricity to half a million homes and businesses. Many Native people were without power for days. Tribes set up shelters and provided generators, food and other supplies to their citizens. Utility companies are taking steps to minimize the impact should a similar storm hit the state this year.

Friday, December 5, 2008

During this week in 1960, the Arctic National Wildlife Range was created in Alaska. The range was later renamed and expanded. Opening up the protected area to oil exploration is a hot topic among many Alaska Native people.

Thursday, December 4, 2008

During this week in 2006, a federal judge ended the Bennett Freeze. For more than 40 years, a federal construction ban prevented Navajo people from making capital improvements on 700,000 acres of land in Arizona. The ban was imposed to force the Navajo and Hopi tribes to settle land claims.

Tuesday, July 1, 2008

On this day in 2006, Native Voice One, the Native American radio service was launched. NV1 distributes Native programming, including National Native News, to radio stations. It also streams on the Internet.



Monday, June 30, 2008

During this week in 1906, Mesa Verde National Park was established. Located in Southwestern Colorado, it was once home to Ancestral Pueblo people. The park includes more than 4,000 archeological sites and 600 cliff dwellings.

Friday, June 27, 2008

During this week in 1855, 151 tribal leaders in Oregon Territory signed a treaty with the U.S. government. The tribes gave up ownership claim to 10 million acres of land in exchange for reservation land. Today, The Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs commemorate the signing annually.

Thursday, June 26, 2008

During this week in 1898, the Dawes Commission was authorized by and act of Congress to prepare tribal membership rolls for the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole tribes. The rolls were used in the allocation of land and money.

Monday, June 23, 2008

On this day in 1972, the Indian Education Act was passed by Congress to help Native students both on and off reservations.

Friday, June 20, 2008

During this week in 1890, parkland near Sitka was dedicated by President Benjamin Harrison. The park, located in Southeast Alaska, commemorates historical and cultural sites and artifacts of the 1804 Battle of Sitka. When Russians expanded into the area to take control of the Northwest Coast fur trade, Tlingit people resisted and two historic battles took place.

Thursday, June 19, 2008

On this day in 1953, Congress passed a jurisdiction act. It authorized the Tlingit and Haida Indians in Alaska to bring suit against the U.S. on land and other claims.

Wednesday, June 18, 2008

On this day in 1953, Robert "Bobby" Kvasnikoff was born. After learning he had AIDS, the Alaska Native leader chose to make his diagnosis public and became an advocate for safe sex. Kvasnikoff died of complications resulting from AIDS in 1997.

Tuesday, June 17, 2008

During this week in 1799, Seneca religious leader Handsome Lake had a vision. The vision led to the Code of Handsome Lake. The code promotes traditional values of sobriety, family, and community.

Monday, June 16, 2008

During this week in 1920, Calvin John was born in Cold Spring, New York. The Seneca man was a decorated World War II veteran. He later served as president of the Seneca Nation for four terms.

Friday, June 13, 2008

On this day 1977, the first Inuit Circumpolar Conference was held in Barrow, Alaska. Inuit people from Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Siberia addressed Inuit issues.

Thursday, June 12, 2008

During this week in 1942, federal officials received orders to evacuate St. George and St. Paul Islands within 24 hours during World War II. Aleuts were taken to an abandoned cannery and an old mine site in Southeast Alaska. Many people became ill and died in the unsanitary conditions.

Wednesday, June 11, 2008

During this week in 1996, the historic Indian trust lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Washington D.C. Cobell v. Kempthorne was filed to force the federal government to account for billions of dollars belonging to thousands of Indian beneficiaries, held in trust since the late 19th century. Today, the case is in the remedies phase. The trial is expected to conclude this summer.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

During this week in 1951, Canada's House of Commons amended the Indian Act. It allowed bands to reinstate Aboriginal women as members. In the original Act women had to have an Aboriginal husband in order to receive the status of a legal Indian in Canada. If she married a non-Aboriginal, she was stripped of her Native rights.

Monday, June 9, 2008

During this week in 1988, Alaska Natives, politicians and journalists took a 45-minute Friendship Flight from Alaska to Russia. The flight across the Bering Strait marked the first official opening of the border in decades. Alaska Natives were reunited with relatives and friends they had been separated from.

Friday, June 6, 2008

On this day in 1984, the U.S. Senate voted to make the Committee on Indian Affairs permanent. The committee studies Native issues and proposes legislation. The committee played a key role in the reauthorization of the Indian Health Care Improvement Act by the Senate. The legislation, passed earlier this year, modernizes the Indian health care system and invests in programs from Native people.

Thursday, June 5, 2008

On this day in 1958, Atomic Energy Commission Chairman Lewis Strauss requested a 1,600-square mile withdrawal of land and water from the Cape Thompson area in Alaska. Plans were to use the area to blast out an artificial harbor with nuclear weapons. Alaska Natives were opposed to the plan and eventually succeeded in halting the project.

Wednesday, June 4, 2008

During this week in 1913, Walter Harper an Athabascan, became the first person ever to reach the main or southern summit of Denali. Denali, also known as Mount McKinley is located in Alaska.

Tuesday, June 3, 2008

During this week in 1868, Navajo leaders signed a treaty with the U.S. government to release their people from Ft. Sumner in New Mexico. The Navajos were imprisoned at the fort for more than four years.

Monday, June 2, 2008

On this day in 1924, Congress passed the Indian Citizenship Act. It granted U.S. citizenship to Native Americans, which included voting rights.

Friday, May 30, 2008

During this week in 1890, Charles Hyde of Pierre, South Dakota wrote a letter to the Secretary of the Interior saying the Ghost Dance was leading to a possible uprising by the Sioux people. Federal agents were not concerned about the Ghost Dance until the letter was written.

Thursday, May 29, 2008

During this week in 2006, Interior Secretary Dirk Kempthorne met with National Congress of American Indians representatives on his first day in office. Kempthorne talked about government-to-government relations, settling the historic Indian trust lawsuit and Indian education.

Wednesday, May 28, 2008

On this day in 1888, Jim Thorpe was born in Oklahoma. The Sac and Fox man is considered one of the most accomplished all-around athletes in history.

Tuesday, May 27, 2008

During this week in 1912, Mohawk actor Jay Silverheels was born on the Six Nations Reserve in Canada. The actor was well known for his role as Tonto on the television show "The Lone Ranger."

Monday, May 26, 2008

On this day in 2003, the Voices exhibit opened at the Women's Memorial in Arlington, Virginia. It highlighted the contributions of Native American Women who served in the U.S. Armed Forces.

Friday, May 23, 2008

During this week in 1905, the Supreme Court ruled Eastern Cherokees could receive one-million dollars appropriated by Congress as payment for land claims.

Thursday, May 22, 2008

During this week in 2002, Gordon’s Island in Princeton, Maine was returned to the Passamaquoddy Tribe. The island was a burial site for many of the tribe’s ancestors who died of small pox in the mid 1800’s.

Wednesday, May 21, 2008

During this week in 2004, members of the Hopi Tribe in Arizona voted down gaming for the second time in less than 10 years. When it comes to gaming, the Hopi people have pitting economic benefits against the survival of Hopi culture. Today, the tribe is considering what to do with its estimated 900 slot machines.

Tuesday, May 20, 2008

During this week in 1944, Army 2nd Lt. Van Barfoot took out two machine gun nests and captured 17 German soldiers near Carano, Italy, during World War II. The Mississippi Choctaw man also repelled a German tank assault, destroyed a Nazi fieldpiece and while returning to camp carried two wounded commanders to safety. Barfoot later received the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery.

Monday, May 19, 2008

On this day in 1848, the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was ratified by the Mexican Government. The treaty impacted many tribes. It removed Mexican claim on Shoshone land and confirmed title of Pueblo land.

Friday, May 16, 2008

On this day in 1998, the Access Native America Net Day debuted. The school wiring project allowed 28 Bureau of Indian Affairs schools to join the World Wide Web. The event connected students and teachers in Arizona , New Mexico , South Dakota and Mississippi through on-line chats and web page sharing.

Thursday, May 15, 2008

On this day in 1876, the Cabazon Reservation for the Cahuilla Indians was established. The Southern California tribe moved many times due to the Southern Pacific Railroad's claim to water rights.

Wednesday, May 14, 2008

During this week in 1992, the Fort McDowell Yavapi Nation asserted its sovereignty from the State of Arizona. Gaming compact talks between the tribe and state had broken down. Federal agents raided the tribe's casino, but tribal members blocked the road and kept agents from taking the slot machines. After a three week stand-off, Arizona's governor signed a gaming compact with the tribe.

Tuesday, May 13, 2008

On this day in 2005, the First Chief Standing Bear Commemoration was held at the Nebraska State Capitol. In the late 1800's, the Ponca chief won citizenship rights for Native people. Last month, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a resolution to honor Standing Bear.

Monday, May 12, 2008

During this week in 1995, the Alutiiq Museum and Archaeological Repository opened to the public in Kodiak, Alaska. It preserves the prehistoric and historic cultural traditions of Alutiiq people and educates the public.

Friday, May 9, 2008

During this week in 1999, Alaska Natives and non-Natives took part in the first "We the People March" in support of the state's Indigenous people and to voice their concerns about subsistence issues. An estimated 3,000 people participated in the march.

Thursday, May 8, 2008

During this week in 1863, the Flandreau Santee Sioux people were forced to move from their traditional homeland in Minnesota. More than 1,000 people were taken to a reservation in a desolate part of South Dakota.

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

On this day in 1885, Native rights advocate William Paul was born at Fort Simpson, British Columbia. Paul was the first Native attorney in Alaska and the first Native elected to the state Territorial House of Representatives.

Tuesday, May 6, 2008

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.

Monday, May 5, 2008

On this day in 1993, the Alaska Native Justice Center was established to serve the unmet needs of Alaska Natives in Alaska's justice systems.

Friday, May 2, 2008

On this day in 1927, the Alaska Legislature adopted the flag of the Territory. The flag, with eight gold stars on a field of blue, was created by Aleut student John "Benny" Benson.

Thursday, May 1, 2008

On this day in 1999, the Alaska Native Heritage Center opened its doors in Anchorage. The center shares the heritage of Alaska's eleven Native cultural groups.



Wednesday, April 30, 2008

During this week in 1888, the Fort Belknap Reservation was created. The reservation is homeland to the Gros Ventre and Assiniboine Tribes. It's the forth largest reservation in Montana.

Tuesday, April 29, 2008

During this week in 2007, the Sand Creek Massacre National Historic Site in Colorado was dedicated. More than 100 years ago, U.S. soldiers slaughtered Cheyenne and Arapaho elders, women and children at the site.

Monday, April 28, 2008

On this day in 1882, the Mi'kmaq Membertou First Nation Reserve was established in Nova Scotia, Canada.

Friday, April 25, 2008

During this week in 1869, Seneca Chief, Ely Samuel Parker became the first Native American Commissioner of Indian Affairs. His attempts to bring justice to various tribes over land deals and treaties earned him many enemies, which ultimately led to his resignation.

Thursday, April 24, 2008

During this week in 1951, Mitchell Red Cloud, Junior 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.

Wednesday, April 23, 2008

During this week in 1926, Edward Pagano was born in southwestern Alaska. Pagano, an Unungan or Aleut man, entered the Army in 1944 and served in the Pacific Theater. He was awarded the Bronze Star with Valor device and the Purple Heart.

Tuesday, April 22, 2008

On this day in 1945, Aleuts returned to Unalaska after being evacuated from their homes during World War II. The forced evacuations from the Aleutian Islands and the Pribilof Islands led to the deaths of many Aleuts. They were housed in inadequate and unsanitary conditions in former canneries in Southeast Alaska.

Monday, April 21, 2008

During this week in 1999, the Mi'kmaq Education Act was made into law in Canada. The purpose of the Act is to enable Mi'kmaq bands in Nova Scotia to exercise jurisdiction in relation to education.

Friday, April 18, 2008

On this day in 1985, the federal government increased the Cocopah Indian Reservation from nearly 2,000 to more than 6,000 acres. The reservation is located south of Yuma, Arizona and borders California and Mexico.

Thursday, April 17, 2008

During this week in 1990, the Pawnee, Wichita and Arikara tribes held a reburial ceremony for more than 100 ancestors in Kansas. The site was a tourist attraction, but was returned to the tribes under federal law.

Wednesday, April 16, 2008

On this day in 1934, the Johnson-O’Malley Act was made into law to provide funds to states with Indian students attending public schools.

Tuesday, April 15, 2008

During this week in 1878, the Sheldon Jackson School was founded in Sitka, Alaska. It was first established as an industrial and training school for Tlingit boys. Later it became a private four-year college.

Monday, April 14, 2008

During this week in 1974, Eskimos Inc. was established in Alaska. The company is owned by the Arctic Slope Regional Corp. It distributes fuel to Barrow residents and airlines. Eskimos Inc. also orders and delivers fuel to North Slope coastal villages which receive fuel by barge during the brief ice-free summer months.

Friday, April 11, 2008

During this week in 1944, some land on the Wind River Reservation in Wyoming, that was ceded to the U.S. nearly 40 years earlier, was returned to the Shoshone-Arapaho people.

Thursday, April 10, 2008

During this week in 1968, the Indian Civil Rights Act was passed by Congress to provide protections to federally recognized tribes including, religious freedom.

Wednesday, April 10, 2008

During this week in 1945, U.S. Army Private Mathew Hawzipta was killed in action during World War II. The Kiowa man from Oklahoma posthumously received a Bronze Star and three Purple Hearts for his bravery. More than 60 years later, the awards were sent in the mail by the Army.

Tuesday, April 8, 2008

On this day in 1944, Ernest Childers, a Creek from Oklahoma was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his bravery in World War II. Although he suffered a broken foot during an assault, Childers single-handedly killed two snipers, silenced two machine gun strongholds and captured an enemy.

Monday, April 7, 2008

During this week in 1943, Byron Mallott was born in Alaska. He was a key leader in the passage of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act. Mallott was also leader of the Alaska Federation of Natives and Sealaska Corporation.

Friday, April 4, 2008

During this week in 1975, a three-day national conference on Indian water rights took place in Washington, D.C. Representatives from nearly 200 tribes attended the meeting.

Thursday, April 3, 2008

During this week in 1867, the United States signed a treaty with Russia to purchase Alaska for 7.2 million dollars. Under the treaty, tribes became subject to U.S. laws and regulations.

Wednesday, April 2, 2008

During this week in 1910, Congress passed an act that forever waived tuition for Native American students at Fort Lewis College in Durango, Colorado. Today, the four year college has American Indian Studies, Native student organizations and a Native American Center.

Tuesday, April 1, 2008

On this day in 1621, the Wampanoag Tribe signed the first treaty between Native Americans and the pilgrims. The peace treaty stated either party would not injure or steal from one another, or engage in an unjust war. The fourth condition stated the Wampanoag would honor the treaty.



Monday, March 31, 2008

On this day in 1882, the Havasupai Reservation boundaries in Arizona were modified. The tribe lost nearly 90-percent of its land when the government confined the Havasupai to 518 acres at the bottom of the Grand Canyon. The loss of land had an economic impact. The tribe began to rely on tourism. Congress later reallocated 185,000 acres.

Friday, March 28, 2008

On this day, the 1836 Treaty of Washington was signed. It ceded parts of Michigan's peninsula to the federal government. Under it, both area Natives and non-Natives are allowed to fish. It has also led to 2007 Inland Consent Decree.

Wednesday, March 26, 2008

During this week in 1991, the Calista Elders Council was established in Alaska. The council addresses elders’ issues and promotes preservation of Yup’ik language and culture.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

On this day in 1971, William John Gobert, a Blackfoot man, was named the “Outstanding Handicapped Worker of the Year” by the Department of Health, Education and Welfare. The award was presented to him by President Richard Nixon’s wife, Pat Nixon. Gobert worked for the Indian Health Service in Arizona.

Monday, March 24, 2008

On this day in 1989, the Exxon Valdez oil spill occurred in Prince William Sound, Alaska. The more than 10 million gallons of crude oil that spilled in the waters devastated the subsistence way of life of Alaska Natives. To this day, the victims have not seen a penny in compensation from the energy company. Exxon recently asked the Supreme Court to reduce the 2.5 billion dollars in damages even further.

Friday, March 21, 2008

On this day in 1975, the Lac Courte Oreilles Lake Superior Band of Ojibwe settled their case against the Northern State ’s Power Company. The company’s dam flooded the reservation in the 1920’s. The tribe’s sacred wild rice beds, hunting grounds, a tribal village and a traditional burial ground were all destroyed. The power company flooded the area without the tribes consent.

Thursday, March 20, 2008

On this day in 1909, the Navajo National Monument was established. Three intact cliff dwellings of the Ancestral Puebloan people are preserved at the site in Arizona. Various groups of people have lived in the Four Corners region for thousands of years. Most of the remains date between 700 and 1500 years ago.

Wednesday, March 19, 2008

During this week in 1972, the nonprofit organization for Alaska Natives in the Arctic Slope Region was established.

Tuesday, March 18, 2008

On this day in 1954, Charles George, a Cherokee man, was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. George jumped on a grenade and was killed during the Korean War. His action saved the lives of his fellow soldiers.

Monday, March 17, 2008

During this week in 1973, the Muskogee-Creek Indian Tribe east of the Mississippi River was granted state recognition by Georgia.

Friday, March 14, 2008

During this week 1816, Chief Shenendoah of the Oneida Nation in New York died at the age of 110. The leader was instrumental in the Oneidas’ choice to side with the colonists during the Revolutionary War. In 2002, Chief Shenendoah was named to the Oneida County Historical Society’s Hall of Fame. A sculpture of the leader sits at the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C.

Thursday, March 13, 2008

On this day in 1858, 26 chiefs went to Washington to meet with President James Buchanan. The meeting focused on Minnesota land grievances and questioned treaty violations against Lower Sioux Tribe.

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

During this week in 1912, Judson Brown was born in Haines, Alaska. Brown was the first Tlingit to be elected mayor of a town with a mixed population. He served on boards for the Sealaska Heritage Foundation and the Institute of Alaska Native Arts. Brown was also involved with the Tlingit and Haida Central Council.

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

During this week in 1920, well known Alaska Native spirit mask maker Walter Amos was born on Nunivak Island.  For more than 60 years, he carved driftwood and ivory masks for ceremonies and to sell as art.

Monday, March 10, 2008

On this day in 1861, poet Emily Pauline Johnson was born on the Six Nations Reserve. The Mohawk woman toured sharing her work and was the first Native poet published in Canada.

Friday, March 7, 2008

During this week in 1968, President Lyndon B. Johnson urged Congress to act on legislation to give Alaska Natives land, hunting, gathering and fishing rights.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

On this day in 1840, Maori Chiefs in New Zealand signed a treaty with the British Crown for citizenship and land rights. Because the treaty was never officially ratified it caused disagreement and conflict between the Crown and the Maori people.

Wednesday, March 5, 2008

On this day in 1907, the Dawes Rolls created by the U.S. government for tribal membership in the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole tribes closed. Those who participated received land allotments. 

Tuesday, March 4, 2008

On this day in 1977, Alaska Native legislator and attorney, William Paul, died at the age of 91. Paul was the first Alaska Native elected to the Territorial Legislature. He helped integrate Alaska public schools and win voting rights for Alaska Natives.

Monday, March 3, 2008

On this day in 1865, the reservation was established for Indians of the Colorado River and its tributaries.  Today, the reservation which stretches along the Colorado River on both the Arizona and California side, is home to four different tribes.

Friday, February 29, 2008

On this day in 1940, under the Indian Reorganization Act, constitution and bylaws were ratified for the Native village of Point Hope. Located on the northwest coast of Alaska, it's the oldest occupied Inupiaq area.

Thursday, February 28, 2008

On this day in 2006, the Six Nations occupied a housing development site in Ontario, Canada. The Native people reclaimed land in Caledonia they say was wrongfully taken away from them by the crown. Today, the occupation continues, as leaders negotiate with the government.

Wednesday, February 27, 2008

On this day in 1934, famed Kiowa author N. Scott Momaday was born in Lawton , Oklahoma.

Tuesday, February 26, 2008

On this day in 1925, a presidential proclamation was issued to create the Glacier Bay National Monument in Alaska. The action was taken without regard for Alaska Natives, who used the area for hunting, fishing and gathering.

Monday, February 25, 2008

On this day in 1998, the Oglala Lakota tribal council declared the anniversary of the Wounded Knee occupation a tribal holiday. It designated the occupation a historical and cultural event that brought national attention to Native American issues.

Friday, February 22, 2008

During this week in 2007, Chief Illiniwek danced his last dance during the University of Illinois men's basketball game. The mascot was the center of controversy. It was dropped more than two years after being named "hostile and abusive" by the National Collegiate Athletic Association.

Thursday, February 21, 2008

On this day in 1935, The Mackenzie Inuit of the Western Canadian Arctic received a herd of domestic reindeer. It was part of an economic initiative formed by the Canadian government.

Wednesday, February 20, 2008

On this day in 1941, world-renown Cree musician Buffy Sainte-Marie was born in Saskatchewan, Canada.

Tuesday, February 19, 2008

On this day in 1858, Nisqually leader, Chief Leschi, was hanged. He was charged with murder. The chief and others insisted he had not committed the crime. Today, tribes in Washington State commemorate the martyred leader. The 2008 commemoration includes a series of walks and runs.

Monday, February 18, 2008

On this day in 1946, political activist John Trudell was born in Omaha, Nebraska. After serving in the Vietnam War, the Santee Sioux became actively involved in the takeover of Alcatraz Island. He joined the American Indian Movement or AIM and also served as a national chairman.

Friday, February 15, 2008

On this day in 2007, the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe in Massachusetts gained federal recognition status. The tribe has since made headlines after its chairman stepped down for lying about his military record and serving jail time for rape. The tribe has also been in the news for its efforts to build a casino in the state.

Thursday, February 14, 2008

On this day in 1931, Canyon de Chelly, located on the Navajo reservation in northeastern Arizona, was established as a U.S. National Monument. It’s unique among National Park service units, because it’s comprised entirely of Navajo trust land that remains home to the canyon community.

Wednesday, February 13, 2008

During this week in 1969, the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of Montana enacted a resolution prohibiting the hunting or killing of Montana Sheep. The Act made it illegal for non-Natives to hunt the herds on the Flathead Reservation.

Tuesday, February 12, 2008

On this day in 1992, the Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation in Connecticut established its first phase of its casino. Today, Foxwoods is the largest casino in the world. Foxwoods comprises of six casinos that together offer more than 7,000 slots and 400 tables.

Monday, February 11, 2008

During this week in 1885, the Lumbee Tribe was recognized as an official Native American tribe by the State of North Carolina. The tribe has been working for years to gain federal recognition status.

Friday, February 8, 2008

During this week in 1973, the Alaska Native village corporation for Nome was established. Nome is located along the Bering Sea on the south coast of the Seward Peninsula. It was built as a result of the influx of thousands of gold miners. The community has survived hard times including a flu epidemic and a disastrous fire.

Thursday, February 7, 2008

On this day in 1983, The Inuit Circumpolar Conference was granted international status by the United Nations. Founded in 1977, the ICC has grown into a major international non-government organization representing about 150,000 Inuit of Alaska, Canada, Greenland and Russia. The ICC holds a General Assembly every four years.

Wednesday, February 6, 2008

During this week in 1879, more than 500 Paiute people arrived on the Yakama reservation in Washington State. The Paiutes were rounded up by the U.S. Army in southern Oregon and forcibly marched through snow to Washington. The march is known as the Paiute Trail of Tears.

Tuesday, February 5, 2008

During this week in 2007, Ben Nuvamsa was elected chairman of the Hopi Tribe after the former chairman was kicked out of office. Since the election, there has been a power struggle between Nuvamsa and the tribal council.

Monday, February 4, 2008

During this week in 2004, The San Francisco-based Native American Cultural Center announced its "TURN OFF CBS" campaign. Native activists claimed the media company portrayed racist stereotypes of American Indians on the Grammy Awards telecast in a hip hop performance by the band “Outkast.”

Friday, February 1, 2008

On this day in 1917, the reservation for the Tohono O’odham people was established. Today, the tribe’s four land bases are comparable in size to the state of Connecticut. The lands of the Nation are located within the Sonoran Desert in south central Arizona.

Thursday, January 31, 2008

During this week in 1876, the Sioux and Cheyenne were removed from land known today as the Black Hills in South Dakota. The tribes were subject to military action for refusing to relocate. This led to the beginning of the 1876 War, which included the Battle of Little Big Horn.

Wednesday, January 30, 2008

During this week in 2000, Athabascan public servant Morris Thompson and his wife and daughter died in the Alaska Airlines Flight 261 crash. The jet plunged into the Pacific Ocean while attempting an emergency landing in Los Angeles, California. Thompson was a former Commissioner of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and President and CEO of Doyon Limited.

Tuesday, January 29, 2008

On this day in 1863, nearly 500 Northwestern Shoshone men, women and children perished in the Bear River Massacre. Federal troops trapped and decimated them at present day Franklin County, Idaho. Today, the Northwestern Band of the Shoshone Nation has acquired the massacre site and surrounding lands in an effort to protect the site and create a memorial.

Monday, January 28, 2008

During this week in 1973, the Bristol Bay Native Association was established in Alaska. The organization promotes self-determination of tribes in the Bristol Bay region, and the betterment, well-being, culture and interests of Alaska Natives.

Friday, January 25, 2008

During this week in 1830, famed orator and Seneca Chief, Red Jacket died. Red Jacket took his name after a highly favored embroidered coat given to him by the British.

Thursday, January 24, 2008

On this day in 1955, Ira Hayes died. The Pima man was one of six Marines to raise the U.S. flag on Mt. Suribachi during the Battle of Iwo Jima in World War II. The Gila River Indian Community honors him with "Ira Hayes Memorial Day," which is held annually on the third Saturday in February.

Wednesday, January 23, 2008

During this week in 1983, a U.S. Court of Appeals affirmed the right of six Chippewa bands to hunt, fish, and cut timber on lands ceded to the United States. Reaction to the decision turned violent and made international news. The decision also brought attention to sport versus subsistence fishing.

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

During this week 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. While in office, he championed the Curtis Act to expand the rights of self-determination among tribes. He later became the 31st Vice President to Herbert Hoover.

Monday, January 21, 2008

On this day 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 grown to eight campuses throughout the Navajo Nation.

Friday, January 18, 2008

On this day in 1958, 500 Lumbee tribal members crashed a Ku Klux Klan rally in North Carolina. The Lumbee armed with weapons, chased the KKK from Lumbee country and stopped them from spreading their message of hate.

Thursday, January 17, 2008

During this week in 1968, the Lower Elwha Klallam's homeland was established as a reservation. It's located on the north coast of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. It took more than 30 years for the U.S. Secretary of Interior to sign the proclamation to establish their land base. Today, it includes about a thousand acres on and near the mouth of the Elwha River.

Wednesday, January 16, 2008

During this week in 1983, Jim Thorpe's Olympic titles were returned to his family at a ceremony in Los Angeles, California. The International Olympic Committee restored his amateur status and commemorative medals were presented to his children. The Sac and Fox man won gold medals in the 1912 pentathlon and decathlon. They were taken away because he once played semi-pro baseball.

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

During this week in 1974, the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians became the first tribe in the country to issue tribal license plates. The Minnesota tribe won the land mark decision against the state. The tribal council argued that issuing license plates was an appropriate exercise as a sovereign nation.

Monday, January 14, 2008

During this week in 1971, Assiniboine fishing rights activist Hank Adams was shot in the stomach in Tacoma, Washington. Adams, who survived the wound, claimed he was shot by white vigilantes. Law enforcement doubted his story and never followed up on the incident. Adams, along with other Native fishers clashed with non-Native fishers over fishing rights.

Friday, January 11, 2008

During this week in 1923, Ira Hayes was born on the Gila River Indian Community in Arizona. The Pima man became famous after he helped raise the U.S. flag on Mt. Suribachi during World War II.

Thursday, January 10, 2008

During this week in 1993, Georgianna Lincoln was sworn into office to serve as the first Alaska Native woman in the state’s history in the Alaska State Senate.

Wednesday, January 9, 2008

On this day in 1994, the Alaska Native village corporation for Pitka’s Point was established. The Yup’ik village is located five miles northwest of St. Mary’s on the Yukon-Kuskokwim Delta.

Tuesday, January 8, 2008

On this day in 1912, the first “Kake Day” was observed. It acknowledged that residents of the Tlingit village had adopted aspects of non-Native culture. Historically, the Kake tribe was the most feared by white settlers in the 18th and 19th centuries. During the Kake War three villages were destroyed. The Kakes settled at one southeastern Alaska village around 1890.

Monday, January 7, 2008

During this week 1943, Richard West was born in San Bernardino, California. West is a member of the Cheyenne-Arapaho Tribes of Oklahoma. He is the founding Director of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. West retired from the position last year.

Friday, January 4, 2008

During this week in 1987, National Native News first aired. Today, the program airs on more than 200 station across the country and Canada. And stories are filed by more than 50 stringers.