Good Morning, NUNAverse,
For more than a century they were buried far from home, in a small cemetery on the grounds of the U.S. Army War College. Now they’re heading home. The Army began disinterring the remains of eight Native children who died at a government-run boarding school at the Carlisle Barracks, with the children’s closest living relatives poised to take custody. The disinterment process, which began over the weekend, is the fifth at Carlisle since 2017. More than 20 sets of Native remains were transferred to family members in earlier rounds. The children had lived at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, where thousands of Native children were taken from their families and forced to assimilate to white society as a matter of U.S. policy — their hair cut and their clothing, language and culture stripped. More than 10,000 children from more than 140 tribes passed through the school between 1879 and 1918, including famous Olympian Jim Thorpe.
A former Justice Department official told the House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol that Donald Trump complained Native people were paid to vote against him in the 2020 election. Richard Donoghue, who served as Trump’s acting deputy attorney general in December 2020 and January 2021, testified on Monday that the former president pressured Justice officials to investigate alleged irregularities in Native voting. Trump accused Native people of voter fraud, claiming they cost him the election. “Dead people are voting, Indian people are getting paid to vote,” Trump said, according to Donoghue. “There’s lots of fraud going on here.” Donoghue refuted Trump’s baseless claim, telling the Committee, “We told him flat out that much of the information he’s getting is false and/or just not supported by the evidence.” Undaunted, Trump repeated the lie about Native people in interviews and post-election rallies, including a June 5 speech for North Carolina Republicans, where he talked about alleged widespread voter fraud and claimed: “Indians getting paid to vote in certain states, including Arizona and Nevada, getting paid to vote. You’re not allowed to get paid to vote.”
By a unanimous vote of 15-0, on June 9th the US Board on Geographic Names ended a decade-long struggle to remove the name of Lieutenant Gustavus Cheney Doane from a 10,551-foot peak that towers above the southeastern sector of Yellowstone National Park, east of Yellowstone Lake. Like much of Yellowstone, the lake is a sacred site to numerous tribes, several of which have origin narratives associated with it. First Peoples Mountain will now grace the horizon above the lake, not Mount Doane. Park County, Wyoming, which borders Yellowstone, previously opposed the name change, while the Wyoming Board on Geographic Names approved it. All twenty-seven Associated Tribes of Yellowstone backed the removal of what the National Park Service now concedes is an “offensive name.” The story of the Yellowstone name changes is included in the upcoming film, The Doctrine of Recovery, which features Crystle Lightning, Casey Camp-Horinek, and Juliet Langley Hayes.
Keep reading for a full news update.
Politics:
Former DOJ Official Tells House Committee Trump Complained About Native Americans “Getting Paid To Vote” In 2020 Election
Native News Online, June 14
A former Justice Department official told the House committee investigating the attack on the U.S. Capitol that Donald Trump complained Native Americans were paid to vote against him in the 2020 election. Richard Donoghue, who served as Trump’s acting deputy attorney general in December 2020 and January 2021, testified on Monday that the former president pressured Justice officials to investigate alleged irregularities in Native American voting. Trump accused Native Americans of voter fraud, claiming they cost him the election. “Dead people are voting, Indian people are getting paid to vote,” Trump said, according to Donoghue. “There’s lots of fraud going on here.” Donoghue refuted Trump’s baseless claim, telling the Committee, “We told him flat out that much of the information he’s getting is false and/or just not supported by the evidence.” Undaunted, Trump repeated the lie about Native Americans in interviews and post-election rallies, including a June 5 speech for North Carolina Republicans, where he talked about alleged widespread voter fraud and claimed: “Indians getting paid to vote in certain states, including Arizona and Nevada, getting paid to vote. You’re not allowed to get paid to vote.”
Nevada Primary Has Indigenous Congressional Candidate
Native News Online, Pauly Denetclaw, June 14
Polling locations have closed in Nevada. Mercedes Krause, Oglala Lakota, is the only Indigenous congressional candidate running in the June 14 primary election according to a running list by ICT. Krause is running for Nevada’s 2nd congressional district which covers much of the northern part of the state. If Krause wins the democratic nomination, she will then face a Republican candidate who is likely to win. The seat has been held by a Republican for the last two decades. Krause, Oglala Lakota, is an educator who has been working in Clark County schools for over two decades. She is an active union member, sits on the Nevada State Education Association board, founded the nonprofit Indigenous Educators Empowerment, and is part of the Nevada Minority Affairs Commission.
Law:
Oneida Man Exonerated After 17 Years In Wisconsin Prison
Native News Online, Darren Thompson, June 14
A citizen of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin who spent nearly 18 years in prison for a murder he did not commit was finally exonerated of the crime in May. Danny Wilber, now 43, was arrested on February 20, 2004 and charged with the fatal shooting of David Diaz on January 31, 2004 at a house party in Milwaukee. Convicted of first-degree intentional homicide, he was sentenced to life in prison, with eligibility for release under extended supervision after 40 years, by Milwaukee County Circuit Judge Mary Kuhnmuench in February 2005. Wilber’s case is one of the first exonerations involving a Native person in the state of Wisconsin. It took him nearly 18 years to prove his innocence.
Clinton Man Indicted For Illegally Excavating Native Americna Site
Department of Justice, June 14
A Clinton, Mo., man has been indicted by a federal grand jury for illegally excavating a prehistoric Native American site near Tightwad, Mo., causing more than $300,000 in damage. Johnny Lee Brown, 70, was charged in an 11-count indictment returned under seal by a federal grand jury in Kansas City, Mo., on April 26, 2022. That indictment was unsealed and made public today upon Brown’s arrest and initial court appearance.
Native Representation:
Anderson High School Drops Controversial Pre-Game Ritual, But Will Keep Indians As Its Mascot
Fox 59, Izzy Karpinski, June 15
A controversial tradition at Anderson High School basketball games that some said mocked Native American culture has come to an end. After an internal review and recommendations report was presented at an Anderson Community Schools (ACS) board meeting Tuesday evening, the members voted unanimously to do away with a pre-game ritual in which students dress up as an Indian chief and maiden to perform a pipe ceremony.
Boarding Schools:
Native Children’s Remains To Be Moved From Army Cemetery
AP News, Michael Rubinkam, June 14
For more than a century they were buried far from home, in a small cemetery on the grounds of the U.S. Army War College. Now they’re heading home. The Army began disinterring the remains of eight Native American children who died at a government-run boarding school at the Carlisle Barracks, with the children’s closest living relatives poised to take custody. The disinterment process, which began over the weekend, is the fifth at Carlisle since 2017. More than 20 sets of Native remains were transferred to family members in earlier rounds. The children had lived at the Carlisle Indian Industrial School, where thousands of Native children were taken from their families and forced to assimilate to white society as a matter of U.S. policy — their hair cut and their clothing, language and culture stripped. More than 10,000 children from more than 140 tribes passed through the school between 1879 and 1918, including famous Olympian Jim Thorpe.
Other:
Movement To Remove War Criminal’s Name In Yellowstone National Park Began In A Northern Cheyenne Home
Native News Online, June 14
By a unanimous vote of 15-0, on June 9th the US Board on Geographic Names ended a decade-long struggle to remove the name of Lieutenant Gustavus Cheney Doane from a 10,551-foot peak that towers above the southeastern sector of Yellowstone National Park, east of Yellowstone Lake. Like much of Yellowstone, the lake is a sacred site to numerous Tribes, several of which have origin narratives associated with it. First Peoples Mountain will now grace the horizon above the lake, not Mount Doane. Park County, Wyoming, which borders Yellowstone, previously opposed the name change, while the Wyoming Board on Geographic Names approved it. All twenty-seven Associated Tribes of Yellowstone backed the removal of what the National Park Service now concedes is an “offensive name.” The story of the Yellowstone name changes is included in the upcoming film, The Doctrine of Recovery, which features Crystle Lightning, Casey Camp-Horinek, and Juliet Langley Hayes.
History Making Native Golfer
Indian Country Today, June 14
Lori Pourier, Oglala Lakota, is the founder of First Peoples Fund. The organization is celebrating its 25th anniversary by hosting a multi-day festival called, “We the Peoples Before.” It will be held from June 30-July 2 at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, D.C. Gabby Lemieux, Shoshone-Paiute, is a professional golfer on the Epson Tour. It is the developmental tour for the Ladies Professional Golf Association. She is the first Native woman on the pro tour.