Chronology of American Indian History

the Pueblo in the late 16th century (see entry for
1598). Speaking at the event, Santa Ana council-
man Manuel R. Cristobal declares that the statue is
as offensive to the Pueblo “as a monument to Hitler
is to the Jews or a monument to Stalin is to the
Russian people.” The protest is held on the 325th
anniversary of the Pueblo Revolt, during which the
Pueblo staged a successful revolt against Spanish
colonists (see entry for AUGUST 10, 1680).

August 19

Judge orders redistricting in South Dakota
to end discrimination against Indian voters.
U.S. District Judge Karen E. Schreier finds that
South Dakota violated the 1965 Voting Rights
Act when it redrew the boundaries of 35 legislative
districts. The ruling is the result of a lawsuit, Bone
Shirt v. Hazeltine, brought by the American Civil
Liberties Union (ACLU) on behalf of four Ameri-
can Indian voters. The plaintiffs claimed that the
redistricting placed 90 percent of Indian voters in
one district in an effort to dilute their power to elect
Indian representatives. The judge orders the state to
adopt a redistricting plan proposed by the plaintiffs
and ACLU, which calls for redrawing the boundar-
ies of three districts.

August 23

Florida State University retains Seminole
nickname.
Despite the National Collegiate Athletic Associa-
tion’s ban on “hostile and abusive” mascots and team
names during the postseason (see entry for AUGUST
2005), the organization decides to allow Florida
State University to call themselves the Seminoles.
The team also retains its mascot, Chief Osceola,
who wears face paint and holds a flaming spear while
riding through the field on an Appaloosa horse.
Although the mascot’s appearance is not based on
traditional Seminole customs, the Seminole tribes
in both Florida and Oklahoma strongly support the
NCAA’s decision. NCAA representative Bernard
Franklin explains, “The decision of a namesake sov-

ereign tribe, regarding when and how its name and

imagery can be used, must be respected even when

others may not agree.’’

August 29

Katrina roars through the lands of Gulf

Coast tribes.

Hurricane Katrina tears across Louisiana and

Mississippi through the lands of the Mississippi

Choctaw and several smaller state-recognized tribes,

including the Bayou Lafourche Band of the Biloxi-

Chitimacha and the Pointe-au-Chien Indian Tribe.

Although the hurricane is downgraded to a Cate-

gory 1 tropical depression by the time it reaches the

Choctaw’s eight communities, its eye passes directly

over the Bureau of Indian Affairs’s Choctaw Agency

in Philadelphia, Mississippi, leaving the area with-

out electricity. The tribe opens up its resort hotels

Controversial Florida State mascot Chief Osceola

poses with player David Castillo in 2005. (AP/Wide

World Photos)