The Cornerstone on Troth Yeddha': Alaska Native Activism in Higher Education

• In Event: Manifesting Destiny: Race, Place, and the Disruption of the American West

Abstract

Alaska’s universities have witnessed conflicting visions of colonizers and Indigenous peoples for over a century. While the number of Alaska Native college students rapidly increased around the time of the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act of 1971, largely racist institutional policies and practices prevented them from thriving. The advocacy work done by Alaska Native peoples themselves and a few non-Native allies in the community and legislature forced the university administrations to resolve some, but not all, of the problems. This paper will highlight Alaska Native peoples’ colonial experiences in higher education and reclamation of their educational sovereignty.

Author

• Taiyo Itoh, University of Oregon
  Presenting Author