UND professor featured in ICT series examining Indigenous erasure in America's history
Dan Lewerenz discusses tribal sovereignty language loss and federal policies that continue to shape Indian Country
University of North Dakota law professor Dan Lewerenz was featured throughout an ICT special report examining the history and legacy of Indigenous erasure as the United States approaches its 250th anniversary. Lewerenz, an assistant professor of law and citizen of the Iowa Tribe of Kansas and Nebraska, shared perspectives on tribal sovereignty, federal Indian law and the lasting impacts of assimilation policies.
Lewerenz told ICT that federal boarding school policies accelerated the decline of Indigenous languages by separating children from their communities and prohibiting them from speaking their Native languages. He also described the Trade and Intercourse Acts and the Dawes Act as major forces shaping tribal economies and land ownership. While self-determination policies have given tribes tools to address historic harms, Lewerenz said restoring tribal authority and supporting language revitalization remain critical steps forward.
- 1.Kevin Abourezk. UND Law Professor, Dan Lewerenz Quoted Throughout ICT’s ‘America 250’ Feature. University of North Dakota.
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