JUNE 2021

INUPIAT CIVIL RIGHTS ACTIVIST ALBERTA SCHENCK ADAMS BORN Born inNome, Alaska, of Inupiat heritage, Alberta was a key player in the passage of Alaska’s Anti-Discrimination Act of 1945.  In 1944, Alberta, … Continue reading “JUNE 1, 1928”

INDIAN CITIZENSHIP ACT SIGNED INTO LAW BY PRESIDENT CALVIN COOLIDGE The Indian Citizenship Act (1924 Act) granted full birthright citizenship for all American Indians.  Under the Constitution’s Article I, “Indians not … Continue reading “JUNE 2, 1924”

MEXICAN LAWYER/SCIENTIST/DIPLOMAT MELCHOR OCAMPO DIED Born January 5, 1814, in Maravatío, Michoacán, Ocampo was Mestizo.  When Manuel Gómez Pedraza became president of Mexico in 1844, he appointed Ocampo Governor of Michoacán.  … Continue reading “JUNE 3, 1861”

ACOLHUA POET ARCHITECT NEZAHUALCOYOTL DIED Born about April 28, 1402 in Texcoco, northeast of Tenochtitlan, his name meant ”The Hungry Coyote.”  He was 16 when his father, Ixtlilxochitl I, ruler of … Continue reading “JUNE 4, 1472”

CHEROKEE ATTORNEY KEITH HARPER SWORN IN AS U.S. AMBASSADOR TO THE UNITED NATIONS HUMAN RIGHTS COUNCIL Confirmed in 2014 as U.S. Representative to the U.N. Human Rights Council, Keith Harper became … Continue reading “JUNE 5, 2014”

NAVAJO CODE TALKER/TRIBAL VICE PRESIDENT FRANK CHEE WILLETO BORN Frank was born and raised in Crownpoint, Arizona.  He enlisted in the U.S. Marines 6th Division in January 1944 and received 8 … Continue reading “JUNE 6, 1925”

KAMEHAMEHA III SIGNS HAWAIIAN DECLARATION OF RIGHTS (HAWAIIAN MAGNA CARTA) Traditionally, the Hawaiian Islands were ruled based upon a system of common law consisting of ancient kapu (taboos) and the traditional … Continue reading “JUNE 7, 1839”

MÉTIS MODEL/ENTREPRENEUR BLANCHE BRILLON MACDONALD DIED Born on May 11, 1931, in Faust, Alberta, Blanche was influenced by her Cree-speaking grandmother.  A model before opening her own modeling agency in 1960, … Continue reading “JUNE 8, 1985”

IROQUOIS STAGE FIRST ATTACK ON MONTREAL Following nearby attacks on Algonquin traders in May, a group of forty Iroquois saw a group of 60 unarmed Huron coming down river in 13 … Continue reading “JUNE 9, 1643”

COBELL V. BABBITT FILED: HANDLING OF TRUST FUNDS Ultimately entitled Cobell v. Salazar, this class-action lawsuit was brought in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia by Elouise Cobell … Continue reading “JUNE 10, 1996”

ALCATRAZ OCCUPATION ENDS After a 19-month occupation, Federal Marshalls removed the last occupiers from the former Federal prison.  On November 9, 1969, about fifty Native Americans, calling themselves the “Indians of … Continue reading “JUNE 11, 1971”

OJIBWE ENMEGAHBOWH (JOHN JOHNSON)-1ST NATIVE AMERICAN EPISCOPALIAN PRIEST IN THE UNITED STATES-DIED Born around 1820, Johnson, whose Ojibwe name meant “He That Prays Standing,” was the first Native American to be … Continue reading “JUNE 12, 1902”

GUATEMALA RATIFIES UNITED NATIONS PACT ON TRIBAL PEOPLES In Geneva, Switzerland, Guatemala’s Minister of Labour formally received notice of International Labour Organization’s acceptance of Guatemala’s decision to ratify the ILO Convention … Continue reading “JUNE 13, 1996”

HAWAIIAN SWIMMER DUKE KAHANAMOKU SAVES EIGHT LIVES ON HIS SURF BOARD Kahanamoku and other surfers noticed the 40-foot yacht Thelma in trouble trying to enter Newport Harbor at Corona del Mar, … Continue reading “JUNE 14, 1925”

VAN T. BARFOOT, WORLD WAR II MEDAL OF HONOR WINNER, BORN Medal of Honor recipient Colonel Van T. Barfoot, whose grandmother was Choctaw, was born in Edinburg, Mississippi.  While not enrolled … Continue reading “JUNE 15, 1919”

CHIRICAHUA APACHE LEADER GERONIMO REPUTEDLY BORN ON THIS DATE Born in No-Doyohn Canyon, Mexico, Geronimo led 4 raiding parties by the age of 17.  While away, Mexican soldiers killed his mother, … Continue reading “JUNE 16, 1829”

DR. SUSAN LA FLESCHE PICOTTE, FIRST NATIVE AMERICAN PHYSICIAN, BORN Dr. La Flesche Picotte was born on the Omaha Reservation in eastern Nebraska.  Her father, Joseph La Flesche, named “Iron Eye,” … Continue reading “JUNE 17, 1865”

NAVAJO LEAVE FORT SUMNER ON “LONG WALK HOME” On this date, the Navajo left the Bosque Redondo reservation in eastern New Mexico on a 300-mile trek called the “Long Walk Home.” … Continue reading “JUNE 18, 1868”

TLINGIT EDUCATION HEALTH ADVOCATE CHUU SHAH (ELAINE ABRAHAM) BORN Born in Yakutat, Alaska, Elaine’s first language was Tlingit.  Likely the first Tlingit registered nurse, she helped create the Southeast Health Aide … Continue reading “JUNE 19, 1929”

NATIVE HAWAIIAN ETHNOBOTANIST ISABELLA KAUAKEA YAU YUNG AIONA ABBOTT BORN Born in Hana, Maui, Isabella, whose Hawaiian name meant “White Rain of Hana,” received her PhD in botany from the Univ. … Continue reading “JUNE 20, 1919”

CANADA DECLARES NATIONAL INDIGENOUS PEOPLES DAY (ORIGINALLY NATIONAL ABORIGINAL DAY)  National Indigenous Peoples Day, a day for recognizing and celebrating the unique heritage, diverse cultures and outstanding contributions of its Aboriginal … Continue reading “JUNE 21, 1996”

SESSION GUITARIST JESSE ED DAVIS DIED Born September 21, 1944, in Norman, Oklahoma, Davis was of Creek and Seminole ancestry on his father’s side and Kiowa heritage on his mother’s side.  … Continue reading “JUNE 22, 1988”

CHEROKEE BRIGADIER GENERAL STAND WATIE SIGNS CEASE FIRE–LAST CONFEDERATE GENERAL TO STOP FIGHTING. Born at Oothcaloga, Cherokee Nation, Georgia, on December 12, 1806, Stand Watie served as Speaker of the Cherokee … Continue reading “JUNE 23, 1865”

MI’KMAQ GRAND CHIEF HENRI MEMBERTOU FIRST NATIVE LEADER TO BE BAPTIZED. On Saint John the Baptist Day, Henri Membertou, Sagamo or Grand Chief of the Mi’kmaq tribe situated near Acadia in … Continue reading “JUNE 24, 1610”

CUSTER MASSACRE–BATTLE OF THE GREASY GRASS (LITTLE BIG HORN) In what is now Eastern Montana, near the Little Bighorn River, occurred the Battle of the Little Bighorn, known to the Native … Continue reading “JUNE 25, 1876”

CANADA’S SUPREME COURT FURTHER DEFINES ABORIGINAL RIGHTS IN ANCESTRAL LANDS Canada’s Supreme Court in Tsilhqot’in Nation v British Columbia (2014 SCC 44) unanimously issued a landmark ruling recognizing aboriginal rights in … Continue reading “JUNE 26, 2014”

“MAGNIFICENT SEVEN” TLINGIT ACTOR MARTIN SENSMEIER BORN Born in Anchorage, Alaska, but raised in Yakutat, Martin’s father is Tlingit and his mother is Koyukon–Athabascan.  He worked as a welder and later … Continue reading “JUNE 27, 1985”

HAWAIIAN LOYALIST POLITICIAN EDITOR JOHN E. BUSH DIED Born in Honolulu on February 15, 1842, Bush was of mixed Native Hawaiian and Caucasian descent.   King Kalākaua first appointed him Royal … Continue reading “JUNE 28, 1906”

AZTEC EMPEROR MOCTEZUMA II KILLED In November 1519, Hernán Cortés led 600 Spaniards from Mexico’s Gulf coast to the Aztec capital city, Tenochtitlan, where he took Moctezuma prisoner demanding gold as … Continue reading “JUNE 29, 1520”

LAKOTA TAMAKOCE TE’HILA (BILLY MILLS) OLYMPIC GOLD MEDAL RUNNER BORN Born on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota, Mills’ Lakota name means “Loves His Country.”  Orphaned at 12, Billy attended … Continue reading “JUNE 30, 1964”