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JUNE 12, 2000

Gerald Gray Sr is a Little Shell / Blackfoot businessman who resides in Albuquerque, New Mexico. As a father of five who are enrolled Little Shell, Gray is happy the tribe received federal recognition after a 109-year wait. He has felt discrimination from both whites and Indians who belong to federally recognized tribes.

The tribe first fell between the cracks after a government agent in 1982 sold a million acres of the tribe's land and failed to count the entire population, many of whom were away on a hunting trip at the time. When they returned, Thomas Littleshell, a Little Shell chief, refused to accept the sale, resulting in loss of recognition.

The 4,000 member tribe received recognition in late May.

Get the Story:
Tribe Makes Great Strides (The Albuquerque Journal 6/11)
Little Shell get recognized (Tribal Law 5/30)