Jonathon Solomon, a Gwich'in Athabascan elder who fought against drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, died early Thursday morning. He was 74.
Solomon was selected at an early age to be a leader of the Gwich'in people. He was raised in a traditional subsistence lifestyle, an upbringing that influenced his political advocacy later in life.
Although he quit school at age 10, he was known as a forceful and prominent defender of Native rights. He lobbied Congress, sat on prominent organizations and boards and developed ties across the U.S. and Canada.
Memorial services take place Monday in Fairbanks. The funeral is scheduled for Tuesday in Fort Yukon, Solomon's birthplace.
Get the Story:Jonathon Solomon, a cultural champion, dies (The Anchorage Daily News 7/14)
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Native leader Solomon dead at 74 (The Fairbanks Daily News-Miner 7/14) Relevant Links:
Arctic Slope Regional Corp - http://www.asrc.com
Gwic'hin Steering Committee - http://www.alaska.net/~gwichin
Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, U.S. Fish and Willdife Service - http://arctic.fws.gov
The Arctic National Wildlife Refuge, Pro-Development site - http://www.anwr.org Related Stories:
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