Chronology of American Indian History

of the Dakota “loyalists” to claim a share of the prof-
its made by tribally operated casinos on these lands.

October 29

Judge dismisses boarding school abuse case.
Federal judge Diane Gilbert Sypolt dismisses a $25
billion lawsuit filed in the U.S. Court of Claims. The
suit, brought by six former Indian boarding school
students, alleges that they were physically, sexually,
and emotionally abused at boarding schools operated
by the Catholic Church but funded by the federal
government. Sypolt grants a motion by the Depart-
ment of Justice to dismiss the case because, according
to the judge, the plaintiffs did not follow correct pro-
cedures, as set out in the Treaty of Fort Laramie (see
entry for APRIL TO AUGUST 1868). Sypolt holds that
the claims court does not have the authority to hear
the case, even if the allegations are true.

November 30

The U.S. government refuses to remove
dams threatening endangered salmon.
Despite growing threats to 11 species of salmon
and steelhead, the National Oceanographic and
Atmospheric Administration announces that the
federal government will not remove 11 dams on the
Columbia and Snake rivers. The decision outrages
environmentalists and tribes in the Pacific North-
west. They cite the sharp reduction of salmon due
to dam construction, as well as pollution and over-
fishing. In making the decision, the government
reverses a policy adopted by the Clinton adminis-
tration in 2000 that called for the removal of dams
if other efforts to save the fish species failed.

2005

January

A Chinook village is discovered at park site.
While constructing a new Lewis and Clark Na-
tional Historical Park along the Columbia River,

workers uncover parallel stripes in the earth. Ar-

chaeologists recognize the stripes as evidence of

wooden planks—building materials for the tradi-

tional dwellings of the Chinook Indians. The park

construction is halted so that the site can be fully

excavated. Archaeologists will soon find the remains

of what the Chinook called Middle Village. In ad-

dition to plank houses, they will recover human

remains and about 10,000 artifacts documenting

the Chinook’s early trade with non-Indians. Among

the objects found will be musket balls, metal nails,

and beads made in eastern Europe.

February 1

Hamilton College cancels speech by Ward

Churchill amidst controversy.

Officials at Hamilton College in Clinton, New

York, announce the cancellation of a lecture by Uni-

versity of Colorado professor Ward Churchill on

American Indian activism. The college maintains it

cannot ensure security at the event after receiving

6,000 emails, many of which threatened violence if

Churchill were allowed to speak. The outrage was

sparked by controversial remarks Churchill wrote in

an earlier essay that claimed the victims of the 9/11

terrorist attack on the World Trade Center held

some responsibility for the act because of American

sanctions on Iraq. He wrote, “If there was a better,

more effective, or in fact any other way of visiting

some penalty befitting their participation upon the

little Eichmanns inhabiting the sterile sanctuary of

the twin towers, I’d really be interested in hearing

about it.” Days earlier, Churchill stepped down

from his post as the chairman of the ethnic studies

program at Colorado, and the university’s board of

regents decided to consider his dismissal.

March 10

Appeals court rules the Navajo Nation can

be named in discrimination suit.

In a suit brought by the Equal Employment Oppor-

tunity Commission, Peabody Coal, which operates

two coal mines in the Navajo Nation, is accused