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NNN Headlines for Today



Wednesday, May 16, 2012

On this day in 2009, the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma commemorated the Choctaw Trail of Tears with a four-mile walk. Choctaw people were removed from their homelands and forced to walk the Trail of Tears from 1831 to 1833. The removal of Choctaw people from Mississippi to what’s now southern Oklahoma began, after the signing of a U.S. treaty. The Choctaw Nation holds commemorative walks annually from various locations along the historic trail.

 

ARCHIVES

While we look to each day’s events for our news coverage, we are aware of the unique relationship between Native histories and current events in Indian Country. We know that these histories are often misunderstood, misrepresented and even ignored. To bring a broader perspective to contemporary Native issues, we began to include one brief historical fact at the top of each newscast. These items will include significant and compelling bits of Native history.

Today in History ARCHIVES
Understanding the Present by Honoring our Past began November 1, 2002

History Archives 2002, 2003, 2004, 2005, 2006, 2007,
2008, 2009, 2010, 2011

JANUARY
/ FEBRUARY / MARCH
/ APRIL / MAY / JUNE / JULY / AUGUST / SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER / NOVEMBER / DECEMBER

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

On this day in 2009, the Choctaw Nation in Oklahoma commemorated the Choctaw Trail of Tears with a four-mile walk. Choctaw people were removed from their homelands and forced to walk the Trail of Tears from 1831 to 1833. The removal of Choctaw people from Mississippi to what’s now southern Oklahoma began, after the signing of a U.S. treaty. The Choctaw Nation holds commemorative walks annually from various locations along the historic trail.

Tuesday, May 15, 2012

On this day in 1978, the Peoria Tribe of Indians in Oklahoma was reinstated by the U.S. Government as a federally recognized tribe. The tribe lost federal recognition under the U.S. Termination Policy of 1959. The Peoria Tribe is headquartered in Miami, Oklahoma and has about three thousand enrolled members. The tribe elected its first woman chief in 2000.

Monday, May 14, 2012

On this day in 2009, the State of Oregon held Tribal Information Day. The event was renamed Tribal Government Day in recognition of the government-to-government relationship between the nine tribes and the state. This year's event was held on Friday at the State Capitol building in Salem.

Friday, May 11, 2012

During this week in 2011, the Oneida Indian Nation donated one million dollars to the National Museum of the American Indian. The New York tribe has donated at least twenty million to the museum. The fourth floor of the museum in Washington, D.C. is named after the Oneida Indian Nation's philanthropic success.

Thursday, May 10, 2012

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 9, 2012

On this day in 1951, internationally renowned Muskogee Creek poet, writer, and musician, Joy Harjo was born. Her books include "The Woman Who Fell From the Sky," and "For A Girl Becoming." Harjo's musical compositions include "Winding Through the Milky Way" - for which she received Best Female Artist at the 11th Annual Native American Music Awards. Harjo was named film script 2005 Writer of the Year for "A Thousand Roads" and is scheduled to release a memoir entitled "Crazy Brave" this summer.

Tuesday, May 8, 2012

On this day in 1936, Clyde Bellecourt was born on the White Earth reservation in Minnesota. Bellecourt helped form the American Indian Movement in the 1960s.

Monday, May 7, 2012

On this day in 2009, the Gathering of Native American Graduates was held in Houma, Louisiana, to recognize high school graduates. More than two dozen students participated in the ceremony that honored education and Native American heritage and culture.

Friday, May 4, 2012

During this month in 1923, the first 14-cent stamp was issued in the United States and featured an American Indian. The stamp was inspired by a photo of Brule Sioux leader Hollow Horn Bear. The photograph was taken in 1905 when the chief was in Washington, D.C. for the inauguration of President Theodore Roosevelt.

Thursday, May 3, 2012

During this week in 1887, Cherokee Council member Ned Christie was falsely accused of murdering a U.S. Marshal. Christie was never convicted in court for any crime. He was assassinated after a five-year standoff with the federal government. Several witnesses came forward clearing Christie of any wrongdoing and he became a symbol of tribal sovereignty. Christie opposed railroad development through Indian Territory which some believe may have contributed to his troubles.

Wednesday, May 2, 2012

On this day in 1929, Link Wray was born. He pioneered a distorted electric guitar sound, the power cord technique. Wray was proud of his Shawnee heritage and named some songs after tribes. He passed away in 2005. Wray was inducted into the Native American Music Hall of Fame and was named one of the top 100 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone Magazine.

Tuesday, May 1, 2012

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 issue an apology.

Monday, April 30, 2012

On this day in 1939, Dr. Alfonso Ortiz from Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo was born. Ortiz was raised by his grandparents who taught him the importance of his Native language and culture. Ortiz earned a PhD in anthropology from the University of Chicago. His work includes the book "The Tewa World: Space, Time, Being and Becoming in a Pueblo Society." He was an advocate for Native American rights, education, and religious freedom. The Alfonso Ortiz Center for Intercultural Studies at the University of New Mexico was named in his honor in 2000, three years after his death.

Friday, April 27, 2012

On this day in 2011, Yupik professor, anthropologist, and actor Dr. Oscar Kawagley died. He was well known for his writings on "Indigenous methodology" and his appearances in television and film.

Thursday, April 26, 2012

On this day in 1936, Kootenai tribal leader Amelia Trice was born in Idaho. She led the Kootenai Tribe in a non-violent war against the U.S. in 1974. Members demonstrated and set up tollbooths along a U.S. highway. The actions prompted the government to allocate more than 12 acres to the tribe and make improvements in housing and health care. Trice died in 2011 after battling cancer.

Wednesday, April 25, 2012

On this day in 1914, Army Sergeant John Raymond Rice was born. The Ho-Chunk man was killed in action during the Korean War. Prior to joining the Army, Rice had served as a Marine during World War II. A national controversy sparked after a local cemetery in Sioux City, Iowa ordered that Rice's body be disinterred after park officials and city leaders found out he was Native American. President Truman ordered that Rice be buried between two generals at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia. He was buried with full honors almost a year after his death.

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

On this day in 2007, Amnesty International released a report entitled the Maze of Injustice: The failure to protect Indigenous women from sexual violence in the USA. According to the report, Justice Department statistics show Native American and Alaskan Native women are 2.5 times more likely to be raped or sexually assaulted. The report also showed that 86 percent of the crimes perpetrated against Indigenous women were by non-Native men.

Monday, April 23, 2012

On this day in 2007, the Poarch Band of Creek Indians in southeastern, Alabama, announced it would donate $25,000 to the City of Enterprise for its tornado fund. The gesture was in response to a tornado that hit the city on March 1st, 2007. Eight teenagers and one elder died in the tornado. The tribe has a fund to help schools, scholarships, senior citizen centers, youth clubs, and other charities in the state.

Friday, April 20, 2012

During this month in 2009, the Indigenous Peoples' Global Summit on Climate Change was held in Anchorage, Alaska. The five-day event included the drafting of a declaration detailing how countries and Indigenous people could work together to address climate change.

Thursday, April 19, 2012

On this day in 1907, Onondaga long distance runner Tom Longboat won the Boston Marathon in a record time of two hours, 24 minutes and 24 seconds. Longboat was born on the Six Nations Reserve in Ontario, Canada. He was considered Canada's greatest runner. Longboat was inducted in the Canadian Indian Hall of Fame and the Canadian Sports Hall of Fame.

Wednesday, April 18, 2012

During this month in 1974, the song "Come And Get Your Love" by the Native American rock band - Redbone - was certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. The band was formed by Yaqui and Shoshone brothers Lolly and Pat Vegas. Redbone had an earlier hit with the song "Witch Queen of New Orleans" that topped the charts in 1972. The band was inducted into the Native American Music Awards Hall of Fame in 2008.

Tuesday, April 17, 2012

During this month in 2011, Marjorie Tahbone was named Miss Indian World at the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Tahbone, Inupiaq and Kiowa, was raised in Nome, Alaska. She also held the title of Miss World Eskimo Indian Olympics. The new Miss Indian World will be crowned April 28th.

Monday, April 16, 2012

On this day in 1946, musician R. Carlos Nakai was born in Flagstaff, Arizona. The Navajo and Ute man has been nominated for four Grammy Awards. His flute albums: Canyon Trilogy and Earth Spirit have been certified Gold by the Recording Industry Association of America. Nakai was inducted into the Arizona Music and Entertainment Hall of Fame in 2005.

Friday, April 13, 2012

On this day in 2011, California’s Yurok Tribe purchased more than 20,000 acres of ancestral land from the Green Diamond Resource Company in Humboldt County. The tribe plans to open up the Yurok Tribal Community Forest to monitor and improve water quality and to restore meadowlands to help sustain hunting and gathering. A future plan includes the purchase of an additional 25,000 acres.

Thursday, April 12, 2012

On this day in 1937, actor and activist Dennis Banks was born on the Leech Lake reservation in Minnesota. Banks is a co-founder of the American Indian Movement in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He’s organized and lead walks across the nation to address Native American issues like the epidemic of diabetes in Indian Country. A 75th birthday celebration with activist Russell Means and comedian Charlie Hill is taking place Friday at Leech Lake.

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

On this day in 1968, the Indian Civil Rights Act was enacted. The act was created as a means to ensure the civil rights of Native Americans living on reservation lands. The U.S. Constitution did not provide such freedoms and rights for Indians prior to the signing of the act by President Johnson. The act was amended in later years.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

During this month in 2011, the Federation of Saskatchewan Indian Nations and the Metis Nation of Saskatchewan initiated a voting drive to urge members of Canada's First Nations to vote. The campaign's goal was to increase the number of Indigenous votes and to inform members of the electoral process and issues they would be voting on.

Monday, April 9, 2012

On this day in 2011, elderly women from four tribes began walking from Olympia, Washington to meet other walkers for the Mother Earth Water Walk. The first walk was held in 2003 around Lake Superior to raise awareness about water issues. A 2012 water walk is scheduled to begin later this month in Ontario, Canada.

Friday, April 6, 2012

On this day in 2009, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled against the Navajo tribe in the case United States vs Navajo Nation. The tribe filed a lawsuit claiming that the Federal Government had acted in the best interest of a coal mining company instead of the tribe when the rate of royalty payments were decided. The tribe has long sought damages it says it's owed.

Thursday, April 5, 2012

On this day in 2001, the New York State Education Department called on school boards in the state to end the use of Indian mascots. The measure was an effort to help remove negative perceptions about Native Americans from schools. The U.S. Civil Rights Commission followed suit eight days later calling for an end to the use of Native American logos, mascots, and nicknames by non-Native schools and universities. Several schools in New York retired their Indian mascots.

Wednesday, April 4, 2012

On this day in 1989, artist Woodrow "Woody" Crumbo passed away. The Potawatomi man is best known for his American Indian Dancer series of paintings. He worked with silkscreens, etchings, drawings, and jewelry. His work has been displayed across the U.S. including at the San Francisco Museum of Art and the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

Tuesday, April 3, 2012

On this day in 1987, the Kickapoo Tribe of Oklahoma made an agreement with the Sac and Fox Tribe of Oklahoma to proceed over Kickapoo hearings. The agreement was made between the two tribes to oversee cases involving civil, criminal, juvenile, and appellate hearings. The Kickapoo Tribe adopted its own court system in 1991.

Monday, April 2, 2012

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.

Friday, March 30, 2012

On this day in 1960, national football midfielder, Shane Rufer was born in New Zealand. His mother is Maori and his father is Swiss. Rufer’s soccer career from the late 1970s to early 90s included playing for New Zealand and for Swiss clubs. Rufer and his brother now help with youth football initiatives in New Zealand. He’s Director and General Manager of the Shane Rufer School of Football.

Thursday, March 29, 2012

On this day in 1902, Choctaw author Todd Downing was born. He’s considered to be "Oklahoma's first successful writer of detective novels," according to the Oklahoma Historical Society. Downing's books include "Murder On Tour," "The Cat Screams," and "Night Over Mexico." He also wrote an introduction to Choctaw grammar, which was published by the Bureau of Indian Affairs in 1971 for a Choctaw bilingual education program.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

On this day in 1953, Olympic champion and great all-around athlete Jim Thorpe passed away. The Sac and Fox man was acclaimed by his peers and a king as the world’s greatest athlete of his time. Besides excelling in track and field, he also played professional baseball and football.

Tuesday, March 27, 2012

On this day in 1973, the U.S. Supreme Court decided in favor of Ruth McClanahan, a member of the Navajo Nation in the case McClanahan vs. Arizona State Tax Commission. Based on tribal sovereignty, the ruling declared that the State of Arizona had no jurisdiction to tax income derived wholly from Navajo reservation sources.

Monday, March 26, 2012

On this day in 1933, author, lawyer and champion of American Indian rights Vine Deloria, Jr., was born. He was well known for his book "Custer Died For Your Sins: An Indian Manifesto."

Friday, March 23, 2012

On this day in 1889, President Harrison signed a proclamation to open land for settlement in Indian Territory in Oklahoma.

Thursday, March 22, 2012

On this day in 1837, U.S. Brigadier General John E. Wool addressed Cherokee people at New Echota, Georgia. Wool advised them they had until May 25, 1838 to move to land set aside for them west of the Mississippi, under terms of a treaty. He said if they did not move, they would be forcibly removed by U.S. soldiers. Wool eventually resigned and was replaced by General Winfield Scott who began the removal of Cherokees from their homelands.

Wednesday, March 21, 2012

During this month in 1617, Pocahontas was buried in England after dying from an unknown illness. She was the daughter of Powhatan, the leader of tribes in present-day Virginia. She was about 10-years-old when English captive John Smith was brought to her father. Stories and opinions differ on whether she actually saved Smith from execution and became his lover. Pocahontas later married English tobacco planter John Rolfe and took the name Rebecca. In 2006, a delegation of Virginia Indians visited her gravesite in England and honored her as one of their ancestors who faced difficult decisions and did her best for her people.

Tuesday, March 20, 2012

During this week in 2007, the first National Native HIV/AIDS Awareness Day was observed in the United States. It’s an opportunity for Native people and tribes to learn about HIV and AIDS. Health care agencies encourage HIV testing and prevention.

Monday, March 19, 2012

On this day in 1900, an executive order increased the size of the Tongue River Indian Reservation in Montana. It was renamed the Northern Cheyenne Indian Reservation. Today nearly five thousand enrolled Northern Cheyenne tribal members live on the reservation, located in the southeastern part of the state.

Friday, March 16, 2012

On this day in 2011, Navajo Code Talker Lloyd Oliver passed away. The 88-year-old was from Shiprock, New Mexico. He joined the Marines in 1942 and was one of the original 29 Navajo men who created an unbreakable code in their traditional language. The code was used to transmit messages in the Pacific during World War II.

Thursday, March 15, 2012

On this day in 1978, Congress returned Zuni Salt Lake to Zuni Pueblo in New Mexico. It's considered the home of Ma'l Okyattsik'i, the Zuni Salt Mother deity. The lake has also been used by the pueblos of Acoma, Laguna, Hopi, Taos, and by the Navajo and Apache tribes. The salt is used as seasoning and for ceremonial purposes. 

Wednesday, March 14, 2012

On this day in 1912, Judson Lawrence Brown was born in Kluckwan, a small Tlingit village 40 miles from Haines, Alaska. He was the first Native person to attend an integrated school in Alaska. Brown was the first Alaska Native to serve as mayor of Haines and served two terms.

Tuesday, March 13, 2012

On this day in 1864, the first group of Navajo people arrived at Fort Sumner in New Mexico. The U.S. forced them to walk to the fort from their traditional homelands more than 300 miles away. Known as the Long Walk, many people died along the way. Navajo people were allowed to return home after the signing of a treaty in 1868.

Monday, March 12, 2012

During this month in 2011, an honoring ceremony was held for the first South Dakota Secretary of Tribal Relations Leroy LaPlante. The Cheyenne River Sioux tribal member was named to the post to foster a better working relationship with the state and nine tribes within its borders. South Dakota Governor Dennis Daugaard created the cabinet-level position after taking office last year.

Friday, March 9, 2012

On this day in 1959, actor Rodney Grant was born. Grant was raised by his grandparents on the Omaha Reservation in Nebraska. He is best known for his role in "Dances with Wolves" as Wind In His Hair. Grant was chosen as one of the 50 Most Beautiful People In the World by People Magazine in 1991.

Thursday, March 8, 2012

On this day in 1970, members of the United Nations of All Tribes occupied Fort Lawton in Washington. The base was scheduled to be turned into a park by city leaders. The takeover happened after unsuccessful tries to persuade city and federal officials to return the land to Native people. A cultural and social services center was later built at the site to help urban Indians in the Seattle area.

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

During this week 1978, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled tribal courts do not have inherent criminal jurisdiction to try and punish non-Indians and need Congressional authorization to do so. The case involved the Suquamish Tribe and a non-Native. Mark Oliphant was arrested during the tribe’s Chief Seattle Days on the Port Madison reservation in Washington. He was charged with assaulting a tribal officer and resisting arrest. He claimed he was not subject to tribal authority.

Tuesday, March 6, 2012

During this week in 2009, Carrie Dann, a member of the Western Shoshone tribe, and Manny Pino, a member of Acoma Pueblo, were recognized for their work to protect sacred areas. Dann and Pino received the Human Rights Defenders award by the International Indian Treaty Council. They were honored during the Indigenous Peoples Struggles to Defend Sacred Places symposium held at San Francisco State University.

Monday, March 5, 2012

On this day in 1980, Jay Silverheels who played Tonto in the television series "The Lone Ranger" passed away in Los Angeles, California. Silverheels was a member of the Six Nations Tribe of the Grand River Reserve in Canada. He was 67-years-old.

Friday, March 2, 2012

During this week in 2011, Jason Campbell an inmate at the Ohio State Penitentiary began a hunger strike to fight for the religious rights of incarcerated Native Americans. Campbell was segregated after refusing his ninth meal and a religious necklace he had was confiscated. Campbell advocated for the right to have tobacco, sacred objects for medicine bundles, feathers, and moccasins in order to practice his religious beliefs. He gained approval of some items. The hunger strike lasted about 12 days.

Thursday, March 1, 2012

On this day in 1973, 19-year-old Larry Casuse, a Navajo Engineering student at the University of New Mexico brought national attention to the border town of Gallup, New Mexico. Casuse held Mayor Emmett "Frankie" Garcia hostage in a downtown store in an attempt to showcase the exploitation of Native Americans by city leaders and local businesses. He was also protesting Garcia’s appointment to UNM’s Board of Regents. The mayor owned several bars in the area while holding a position as chairman of an alcohol abuse rehabilitation committee. Garcia escaped through a window in the store and Casuse was surrounded by police and shot to death.

Wednesday, February 29, 2012

On this day in 1916, Cherokee sculptor Willard Stone was born. His creations were primarily in wood. The Cherokee Nation adopted one of his pieces entitled "Exodus" as its logo. A large collection of his work is housed at the Willard Stone Museum in Locust Grove, Oklahoma.

Tuesday, February 28, 2012

On this day in 1973, Oglala Lakota and American Indian Movement members occupied the Wounded Knee site on the Pine Ridge reservation.  The occupiers wanted to draw attention to the mistreatment of Native Americans by the U.S. government.  The siege lasted more than two months.

Monday, February 27, 2012

During this month in 1875, Kiowa Chief Lone Wolf surrendered to the U.S. Army at Fort Sill, Oklahoma. Lone Wolf was a leader during the resistance to reservation life.

Friday, February 24, 2012

On this day in 1835, the first issue of the Shawnee Sun was published. The newspaper is considered to be the first periodical published in Kansas - as well as the first Native American paper printed entirely in a Native American language. An 1841 copy is considered to be the only surviving copy preserved at the University of Missouri-Kansas. The original is believed to be in the possession of a Kansas City family. The Shawnee Sun was printed at the Shawnee Indian Mission and circulated for nearly a decade.

Thursday, February 23, 2012

During this month in 1893, the Campo Indian Reservation near San Diego was established for the Campo band of Kumeyaay Indians. The tribe was given one acre of land. Today, the tribe is in the process of developing a 160-megawatt wind farm. The tribe says it will be the first tribe in the nation with a commercial wind farm on its reservation.

Wednesday, February 22, 2012

On this day in 1855, the Pillager and Mississippi Ojibwe bands signed a treaty with the United States. Ojibwe bands were living throughout northern Minnesota when the first settlers arrived. Treaties were negotiated to acquire land in exchange for cash and goods. The Leech Lake Indian Reservation was established for the two bands in north-central Minnesota.

Tuesday, February 21, 2012

On this day in 1828, the first edition of the Cherokee Phoenix was printed in Georgia. It was the first tribal and bilingual newspaper published in the United States.

Monday, February 20, 2012

On this day in 2009, what’s believed to the first memorial dedicated to Australian Indigenous war veterans in an Aboriginal community was unveiled in Toomelah, New South Wales. The memorial features a plaque listing the names of 21 Aboriginal veterans who served in both World Wars and the Vietnam War.

Friday, February 17, 2012

On this day in 2009, on the centennial of Geronimo’s death, his great-grandson and other descendants filed a lawsuit in federal court against Yale University, the secretive student society Skull and Bones and the federal government. The suit alleged the Apache leader’s remains were stolen by members of the society in 1918 from Geronimo’s grave in Oklahoma and taken to Connecticut. The descendants wanted to rebury the remains in New Mexico. The lawsuit was dismissed in 2010.

Thursday, February 16, 2012

On this day in 1863, Congress passed an act to abolish treaties made between the United States and Dakota bands living along the Mississippi River. The act was a response to uprisings between the bands and settlers. The act took away their lands in Minnesota.

Wednesday, February 15, 2012

On this day in 1831, the U.S. Senate passed a resolution asking President Jackson if he was going to live up to the Indian Trade and Intercourse Act passed in 1802. The acts regulated travel and commerce on Indian lands and established trading posts to help tribes but were instead used as leverage by the government to obtain more.

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

On this day in 1894, Joseph Nicolar died. The Penobscot man’s book "The Life and Traditions of the Red Man" was considered to be a literary masterpiece.

Monday, February 13, 2012

On this day in 1998, the Colorado River Native Nations Alliance and their allies began a spiritual occupation of Ward Valley, California.  The federal government planned to close the area to test for tritium at the site of a proposed radioactive waste dump.  Tribes said testing would desecrate the site held sacred to them.

Friday, February 10, 2012

On this day in 1992, Jim Pepper died of lymphoma. The Creek-Kaw jazz saxophonist primarily played the tenor sax and was considered one of the pioneers of fusion jazz. Pepper also blended in songs taught to him by his grandfather and father.

Thursday, February 9, 2012

During this week in 2009, eight Latin American countries held discussion in Panama on Indigenous issues and climate change. The findings were given to a United Nations advisory committee.

Wednesday, February 8, 2012

During this month in 2006, the first meeting of the Native American Caucus of the Oklahoma House of Representatives took place.

Tuesday, February 7, 2012

During this month in 2007, two prominent Native Americans passed away less than a week apart, filmmaker Phil Lucas and composer Louis Ballard. Both men were known throughout the Indigenous art circle.

Monday, February 6, 2012

During this month in 1879, hundreds of Paiute people arrived on the Yakama reservation in Washington after being forcibly marched from Oregon by the U.S. Army. The event is known as the Paiute Trail of Tears.

Friday, February 3, 2012

During this week in 2007, then-13-year-old Akina Shirt made history at a National Hockey League game in Canada. She became the first person to sing "O Canada" in the Cree language at a NHL game. Shirt first started singing the anthem at Saddle Lake First Nation games.

Thursday, February 2, 2012

During this week in 2011, thousands of Canadians became eligible to receive Indian status after a change in legislation. Descendants denied status because their grandmothers married non-Indians became eligible.

Wednesday, February 1, 2012

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.



Tuesday, January 31, 2012

During this week 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.

Monday, January 30, 2012

During this week in 2010, Las Vegas entertainer Wayne Newton testified in support of state recognition for his tribe, the Patawomeck Indians of Virginia. The measure passed two weeks later.

Friday, January 27, 2012

During this month 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 26, 2012

On this day annually, Aboriginal Australians recognize Survival Day when the first British fleet arrived in the country in 1788.  The lives of Aboriginal people were changed by the English settlement and government policies like the forced removal of Aboriginal children from their homes, known as the “Stolen Generations.

Wednesday, January 25, 2012

On this day in 2010, the U.S. Mint launched the 2010 Native American $1 coin with a design honoring the Iroquois Confederacy.

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

During this week 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. It included 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.

Monday, January 23, 2012

During this week in 2010, Alaska Native people in Noorvik were the first to be counted for the U.S. Census. The Census Bureau began the 2010 count in rural Alaska villages, not linked by roads, in January and February while the ground was still frozen so villagers could be reached by snow machine or dogsled.

Friday, January 20, 2012

During this week in 2008, the last traditional speaker of the Eyak language died, Honorary Chief Marie Smith Jones. A website was launched last year to help Eyak people of Cordova, Alaska learn the language.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

During this week 1958, Lumbee tribal members broke up a Ku Klux Klan rally, pushing them out of a North Carolina county.

Wednesday, January 18, 2012

During this week in 2008, the Turtle Mountain State Bank held a grand opening event on the Turtle Mountain reservation in North Dakota. It’s the first privately owned Native American bank on a reservation.

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

During this week 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.

Monday, January 16, 2012

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.

Friday, January 13, 2012

During this week in 2010, All-American Rhodes Scholar Myron Rolle kicked off the “Our Way to Health Program” at a Bureau of Indian Education School in New Mexico. Five BIE schools were chosen to participate to address childhood obesity and diabetes.

Thursday, January 12, 2012

On this day in 1923, Ira Hayes was born in Arizona. The Native American became famous after he helped raise the U.S. flag on Iwo Jima during World War II.

Wednesday, January 11, 2012

On this day in 2011, Ben Shelly was sworn in as President of the Navajo Nation. He previously served as vice-president and council delegate.

Tuesday, January 10, 2012

During this month in 2011, a new website was launched to help people learn the Eyak language through weekly words and help from linguistic experts. The last fluent speaker of the language of the Eyak people of Cordova, Alaska died in 2008.

Monday, January 09, 2012

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.

Friday, January 06, 2012

During this week in 1975, the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act was signed into law to give tribes authority over federal programs.

Thursday, January 05, 2012

On this day in 1987, National Native News signed on the air in Anchorage, Alaska. It was the first nationally syndicated daily radio newscast to focus on the Native angle in every story. The show is produced today in Albuquerque, New Mexico, by Koahnic Broadcast Corporation. It’s heard on tribal and public radio stations across the United States and Canada.

Wednesday, January 04, 2012

During this week in 2010, Stacy Phelps, a 1996 mechanical engineering graduate, was the recipient of a Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics and Engineering Mentoring. Phelps of the Oglala Lakota College received the award during a ceremony held on January 6th at the White House.

Tuesday, January 03, 2012

On this day in 2001, nominations for the 43rd Grammy Awards were announced including the debut of the Best Native American Music Album category. The first Grammy in this category went to the Gathering of Nations Pow Wow later that year.


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