Native American Studies Program to welcome Elder-in-Residence

Morgantown, WV, April 4, 2007:An accomplished lawyer and renowned Native American rights advocate will visit campus next week to serve as the 2007 Native American Studies Elder-in-Residence.

John E. Echohawk, a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, is an attorney who serves as the executive director of the Native American Rights Fund, a nonprofit law firm dedicated to asserting and defending the rights of Indian tribes, organizations and individuals nationwide.

“There has been tremendous progress in helping Native nations exercise their sovereign rights, protect natural resources, and guarantee human rights. Tribal governments have grown and flourished, and Native Americans have been able to sustain their cultures and religions, despite many serious obstacles. We are alive and getting well,” Echohawk said.

Echohawk will be in Morgantown from April 9 to 12. On Tuesday, April 10, he will offer a public lecture titled “A 160+ Billion IOU: Federal Management of Indian Trust Funds” at 7:30 p.m. in the Mountainlair’s Rhododendron Room on WVU’s Downtown Campus. The lecture will be preceded by a reception at 6:30 p.m. sponsored by the College of Law that will feature Native flute music by Rick Rivard. The event is free and open to the public.

On Wednesday, April 11, Echohawk will give a luncheon colloquium titled “The Impact of No Child Left Behind in Indian Country” from 11:30 to 1 p.m. at the College of Human Resources and Education, 601 Allen Hall, on WVU’s Evansdale Campus. Lunch is complimentary and no RSVP is required. While on campus, Echohawk will also meet with faculty from the Native American Studies program and the College of Law and will guest lecture in NAS, history, and law classes.

Echohawk was the first graduate of the University of New Mexico’s special program to train Indian lawyers, and he was a founding member of the American Indian Law Association while in law school. He has worked for the Native American Rights Fund since its inception, having served as executive director since 1977. He has been recognized by the National Law Journal as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America.

The annual Elder-in-Residence program is made possible through the Carolyn Reyer Endowment for Native American Studies. The event is sponsored by the Native American Studies Program and co-sponsored by the Eberly College of Arts and Sciences, the Division of Social Work, the Nova Institute, The President’s Office for Social Justice, The College of Human Resources and Education, and the College of Law.

For more information, please contact Bonnie M. Brown, Coordinator of the Native American Studies Program, at BonnieM.Brown@mail.wvu.edu or at 304-293-4626.

W-V-U