L. Jace Killsback addresses Montana Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission. Photo by Eugene Little Coyote
Civil Rights Commission hosts hearing on bordertown discrimination in Montana
By Clara Caulfield
Native Sun News Today Correspondent
nsweekly.com BILLINGS, Mont. –– Monday, August 29, 2016, the Montana State Advisory Committee to the U.S. Civil Rights Commission held a public hearing on the issue of racism and discrimination on reservation border towns. The Committee heard a number of heart-wrenching personal experiences from Montana native people and compelling statements from many formal panelists, including Dr. Richard Littlebear, President Chief Dull Knife College, Northern Cheyenne who bluntly summarized “Based on my personal experience as a very identifiable Indian person, all of Montana is a border town.” Norma Bixby, Northern Cheyenne and Committee Chair said that the hearing was a long time coming because the committee was stalled for political reasons. Bixby said that the committee became more active when President Obama put a new emphasis on the roles of the State Advisory committees, which make recommendations to the respective regional offices of the U.S. Commission on Civil Rights, an independent, bipartisan agency charged with advising the President and Congress on civil rights matters. Each State committee is charged with selecting an annual project and Bixby noted that several other states in the Rocky Mountain Region have also held public hearings on racial discrimination involving Native Americans. Bixby, the only tribal person on the Montana Advisory Group said “Racism is alive and well in Montana. Some of the statements aired at the August session brought tears to the eyes of the Committee members.” Bixby also explained that a written report on the issues discussed at the hearing will be developed in the next six months. “Staff will review the transcripts and consult with the Advisory Committee to highlight major concerns and recommendations in a written report that will be available to the public,” she said.
Read the rest of the story on the Native Sun News Today website: Civil Rights Commission hosts hearing on bordertown discrimination in Montana (Contact Clara Caufield at acheyennevoice@gmail.com) Federal Register Notice:
Agenda and Notice of Public Meeting of the Montana Advisory Committee (July 27, 2016) Copyright permission Native Sun News
Join the Conversation
