Chicago, IL – Today, the Obama campaign announced that Navajo Nation President Joe Shirley, Jr., and more than 100 Tribal Leaders have endorsed Barack Obama for President. These endorsements come from tribes across the political spectrum and from all corners of the country. The Navajo Nation is the largest North American Indian Tribe, comprised of approximately 300,000 members located around Southeastern Utah, Northeastern Arizona and Northwestern New Mexico.
Senator Obama said, “I am honored to have the support of President Shirley and so many of our tribal leaders. Their commitment to public service is something that every American should be proud of. Indian tribes in our country face a special set of challenges – from issues of sovereignty to access to affordable healthcare. I look forward to working with Joe and all of our Tribal Leaders to ensure that we meet these challenges in an Obama-Biden administration.”
“For eight years, we have lived with Federal policies that erode our culture and language and, therefore, attack our very identity as Native people,” said President Shirley. “It is time for change: a real change! It is time for the United States of America to truly honor its obligations to its Native peoples. Senator Obama understands the uniqueness of Native nations and Native peoples – that is why I support Barack Obama to be the next president of the United States.”
In addition to the individual tribal leaders, Senator Obama has received the endorsement of at least seven tribal councils, including the Crow, Rocky Boy and Fort Peck nations and the All Indian Pueblo Council. He has also been endorsed by the Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association. Earlier this year, Senator Obama became an honorary member of the Crow Nation.
Tribal leaders that have endorsed Senator Obama are:
- Tribal Leaders
Chief J. Allan, Chairman, Coeur d’Alene Tribe
Dave Archambault, Jr., Councilman, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Floyd Azure, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Dorothy Barber-Redhorse, Vice-President, Sanostee Chapter, Navajo Nation
David Z. Bean, Councilman, Puyallup Tribe of Indians
Harriett Becenti, Council Delegate, Navajo Nation
Lorenzo Bedonie, Council Delegate representing Hardrock/ Pinon Chapters (Arizona), Navajo Nation
Elmer Begay, Council Delegate, Navajo Nation
Garrett Big Leggins, Vice- Chairman, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Richard Bird, Jr., Councilman, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Cedric Black Eagle, Vice-Chairman, Crow Nation
Rodney Bordeaux, President, Rosebud Sioux Tribe
William “Shorty” Brewer, Vice-President Oglala Sioux Tribe
Theresa Bridges, Chairwoman, Franks’ Landing Indian Community
Joe Brings Plenty, Chairman, Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
Donna Buckles-Whitmer, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Diana Buckner, Chairwoman, Ely Shoshone Tribe
Rodney Butler, Treasurer and Council Member, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
Ronald Charles, Chair, Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe
Abe Chopper, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Thomas Christian, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
M. Brian Cladoosby, Chairman, Swinomish Indian Tribal Community
Marjorie Colebut-Jackson, Tribal Council Member, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
Robert Cournoyer, Chairman Yankton Sioux Tribe
Gene Culbertson, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Gerald L. Danforth, Former Chairman, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin
Herman Dillon Sr., Chairman Puyallup Tribe of Indians
Ron Duke, Tribal Council Representative, Oglala Sioux Tribe
Peter Dupree, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Andy Ebona, Councilman Douglas Village, Tlingit Tribe, Alaska
Ian Erlich (Native Village of Kotzebue) – Vice Chairman, Alaska Inter-Tribal Council
Ingrid Firemoon, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Leonard Forsman, Chairman Suquamish Tribe
Jerry Freddie, Council Delegate, Navajo Nation
Marlin Fryberg Jr., Secretary, Tulalip Tribes of Washington.
Margaret Gates, Councilwoman Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Shawna Gavin, Secretary, General Council of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Alison Gottfriedson, Councilmember, Franks’ Landing Indian Community
Arlyn Headdress, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Rick Hill, Chairman, Chairman, Oneida Nation of Wisconsin
Ron His Horse Is Thunder, Chairman, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Wesley “Chuck” Jacobs, Tribal Council Representative, Oglala Sioux Tribe
Michael Jandreau, Chair, Lower Brule Sioux Tribe
Michael R. Johnson, Chair, General Council of the Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Richard Kirn, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Ronald “Smiley” Kittsen, Councilman, Blackfeet Nation
Shelly Luger, Vice Chairwoman, Spirit Lake Tribe
Cynthia Lyall, Chairwoman, Nisqually Indian Tribe
Michael Marchand, Former Chairman, Conf. Tribes of the Colville Reservation
Robert McGhee, Councilman, Poarch Band of Creek Indians
Jesse McLaughlin, Councilman, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Joseph McNeil, Jr., Councilman, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Christopher Mercier, Councilman and former Chairman, Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde
Kenneth Meshigaud, Tribal Chairperson, Hannahville Potawatomi
James V. Miles, Councilman Puyallup Tribe of Indians
Elmer L. Milford, Council Delegate representing Ft. Defiance Chapter (Arizona), Navajo Nation
John Miller, Chairman, Pokagon Band of Pottawatomi
Antone Minthorn, Chair, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Armand Minthorn, Council Member, Confederated Tribes of the Umatilla Indian Reservation
Jeff Mitchell, Council Member, Klamath Tribes
Robert Moore, Councilman, Rosebud Sioux
Wayne A. Newell, Passamaquoddy Indian Township Tribal Council Member, Passamaquoddy Tribe
Ned Norris, Chairman, Tohono O’odham Nation
Benjamin H. Nuvamsa, Chairman, Hopi Tribe
Darrin Old Coyote, Vice-Secretary, Crow Nation
Stuart Paisano, Governor, Pueblo of Sandia
Brian Pearson, Secretary-Treasurer, Spirit Lake Tribe
Myra Pearson, Chairperson, Spirit Lake Tribe
Louis Peterson, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Rick Phillips-Doyle, Sakom/Chief, Passamaquoddy Tribe, Pleasant Point Reservation
Matthew Pilcher, Chairman, Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska
Jennifer Porter, Chair, Kootenai Tribe of Idaho
Gloria Ramirez, Councilwoman, Tohono O’odham Nation
Darryl Red Eagle, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Kenny Reels, Vice-Chair, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
Sarah Riggs, Vice-Chair, Dilkon Chapter, Navajo Nation
George Rivera, Governor, Pueblo of Pojoaque
Bobby Robbins, Council Delegate representing Naneez dizi/ Coalmine Canyon Chapters (Arizona), Navajo Nation
Andrew Roybal, Tribal Council Member Piro/Manso/Tiwa Indian Tribe, Pueblo of San Juan de Guadalupe
Scott Russell, Secretary, Crow Nation
Brandon Sazue Sr., Chairman, Crow Creek Sioux Tribe
Richard Sebastian, Tribal Council Member, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
Maureen Sebastian, Tribal Council Member, Mashantucket Pequot Tribal Nation
Michael Selvage, Chairman, Sisseton Wahpeton Oyate Tribe
Melvin Sheldon Jr., Chairman, Tulalip Tribes of Washington;
Joe Shirley, Jr., President, Navajo Nation
Wink Soderberg, Council Member, Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde
A.T. Stafne, Chairman, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
James H. Steele Jr., Chairman, Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes of the Flathead Reservation
J.D. Stone, Speaker of the House, Crow Nation
Aurolyn Stwyer, Vice-Chair, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Ron Suppah, Chair, Confederated Tribes of the Warm Springs
Larry Townsned, Tribal Veteran Service Officer, Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina
Leonard Tsosie, Council Delegate, Navajo Nation
Lee Juan Tyler, Vice-Chairman, Shoshone-Bannock Tribes
Carl Venne, Chairman, Crow Nation
William Walksalong, Former President and Tribal Council member, Northern Cheyenne Tribe
John Warren, Councilman, Pokagon Band of Pottawatomi
John Weeks, Sergeant at Arms, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Marcus Wells, Jr., Chairman, Three Affiliated Tribes
Bill Whitehead, Tribal Executive Board, Assiniboine and Sioux Tribes of the Ft. Peck Reservation
Mike Williams, Tribal Council Member for the Akiak Native Community
Jonathan Windy Boy, Business Committee Member, Chippewa Cree of the Rocky Boy Reservation
Mervin Wright, Jr. Chairman, Pyramid Lake Paiute
John Yellowbird Steele, President Oglala Sioux Tribe
Marie Zackuse, Vice Chairwoman, Tulalip Tribes of Washington - Tribe Endorsement List
Chippewa Cree Tribe of the Rocky Boy’s Indian Reservation (MT)
Crow Nation (MT)
Jicarilla Apache Nation (NM)
Mescalero Apache Tribe (NM)
Nisqually Indian Tribe (WA)
Northern Cheyenne Tribe (MT)
Ohkay Owingeh Pueblo (NM)
Port Gamble S’Klallam Tribe (WA)
Pueblo of Acoma (NM)
Pueblo of Pojoaque (NM)
Pueblo of Sandia (NM)
Pueblo of Santa Clara (NM)
Puyallup Tribe (WA)
St. Croix Band of Superior Indians (WI)
Suquamish Tribe (WA)
Tule River Tribe (CA)
Tribal Organizations
All Indian Pueblo Council
The All Indian Pueblo Council is comprised of the following 19 Pueblos:
Pueblo of Acoma
Pueblo of Cochiti
Pueblo of Isleta
Pueblo of Jemez
Pueblo of Laguna
Pueblo of Nambe
Great Plains Tribal Chairmen’s Association
The Great Plains Tribal Chairman’s Association is comprised of the following tribes:
South Dakota:
Flandreau Santee Sioux Tribe
Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe
Crow Creek Sioux Tribe
Lower Brule Sioux Tribe
Oglala Sioux Tribe
Rosebud Sioux Tribe
Yankton Sioux Tribe
Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate
North Dakota:
Three Affiliated Tribes
S pirit Lake Tribe
Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa
Nebraska:
Omaha Tribe
Santee Sioux Nation
Ponca Tribe
Winnebago Tribe*Note: Titles are for identification purposes only.