Chronology of American Indian History

residents will receive one dollar for every ton of
trash dumped in the enormous landfill. Fearing en-
vironmental damage, the council of the Pine Ridge
Lakota has rejected a similar landfill proposed for
its nearby reservation.

The Department of Education creates the
Indian Nations at Risk Task Force.
Concerned with modern threats to Indian tradi-
tions, the Department of Education appoints a
task force to examine ways that schools can help
to preserve and protect tribal cultures. The In-
dian Nations at Risk Task Force makes a number
of recommendations, including training more In-
dian teachers, teaching Indian languages in public
schools, and bringing schools, parents, tribes, and
social service organizations together in an effort to
improve Indian education.

Mary Crow Dog’s Lakota Woman is published.
In Lakota Woman, activist Mary Crow Dog tells
of her involvement in the American Indian Move-
ment in the 1970s. Working with non-Indian
author Richard Erdoes, Crow Dog first wrote the
autobiography in 1979, but the manuscript was
abandoned by its publisher, which deemed the
material too controversial. Finally published 11
years later, the book is an immediate popular and
critical success and is named the winner of the
American Book Award from the Before Colum-
bus Foundation. Following the success of Lakota
Woman, Crow Dog (then calling herself Mary
Brave Bird) and Erdoes will collaborate on its se-
quel, Ohitika Woman (1993). In 1994, a television
movie based on Lakoka Woman will air on the cable
network TNT.

The Iroquois National Lacrosse Club
becomes a national team.
Formed in 1983, the Iroquois National Lacrosse
Club lobbies successfully to join the membership of
the International Lacrosse Federation as a national
team. The Iroquois team is therefore allowed to
enter the world championships in Australia on an
equal status with all other member teams, including

that sent by the United States. A traditional Indian

sport, lacrosse has been played by the Iroquois for

hundreds of years.

The Turtle Mountain Ojibway begin

operating Uniband Data Entry.

The Turtle Mountain Ojibway of North Dakota pur-

chase Uniband, a data entry–services corporation.

By soliciting government contracts as a minority-

owned business, Uniband will grow quickly and

provide increased employment opportunities for

the tribe. The business will eventually have more

than 800 employees throughout the country.

March

A site near the Akwesasne reservation is

named America’s worst toxic dump.

Following five years of environmental studies ini-

tiated by the Mohawk of New York State, the

Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) releases

a Superfund report that sets aside $138 million to

clean up the General Motors waste dumps near the

tribe’s Akwesasne reservation. The massive cleanup

plan identifies the dumps as the worst toxic site

in the United States. As the EPA begins work, the

dumps have already leaked PCBs, insecticides, and

other toxins into the surrounding region, affecting

the Akwesasne Mohawk’s health and economy. The

level of pollution is so great that fishing, a tradi-

tional Mohawk means of making a livelihood, in no

longer viable in many area waters.

March 30

Shots are fired at an army helicopter over

Ganienkeh.

While passing over the Mohawk community at

Ganienkeh (see entry for MAY 13, 1977), an Army

National Guard helicopter is struck by three bul-

lets, one of which wounds an army doctor on board.

When the state police attempt to investigate the

shooting, the Ganienkeh Mohawk will refuse to co-

operate, maintaining that their sovereignty prohibits

state interference in their affairs. The Indians form a