Native America Calling: Illinois’ first Native reservation

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Monday, May 13, 2024

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Illinois’ first Native reservation

A tribe once targeted for termination has established the first reservation in the state of Illinois.

The U.S. Department of Interior transferred 130 acres of Northern Illinois land to the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation. The action comes 175 years after the federal government illegally sold the tribe’s Illinois land — ten times the current trust land size — when the chief was out of the state visiting family.

Join Native America Calling to hear about the new land transaction and other recent notable land achievements.

At a land title office in Sycamore, Illinois, Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation Chairman Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick signs a document transferring 130 acres of tribal-owned land in DeKalb County to the federal government, for use as the tribe’s reservation. Photo: Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation

Guests on Native America Calling

Joseph “Zeke” Rupnick (Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation), Chairman of Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, headquartered in Kansas.

Joe Heath, general counsel for Onondaga Nation

Sara K. Van Norman, founder of Van Norman Law

Samantha MJ Yang (Gabrieleño Tongva Band of Mission Indians), environmental biologist and ethnobotanist