Zenell Brown
Last month I learned this Friday, September 25 is Michigan Indian Day.
In 1974, the Michigan legislature passed and Gov.William Milliken signed into law Public Act 30, establishing the fourth Friday in September each year as Michigan Indian Day. The legislation was effective March 8, 1974. The Original Bands of Chippewa Indians became the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and its land was taken into trust in March of 1974 as well.
During the country’s 1976 bicentennial, President Gerald Ford proclaimed the week of October 10-16 as Native American Awareness Week. J. C. Elliott-High Eagle, a Cherokee Indian from Oklahoma, authored and promoted the legislation for the historic first week of national awareness and recognition for native American Indian and Alaska natives. Jerry Chris Elliott High Eagle (born 1943) is a physicist and was one of the first American Indians to work at NASA and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint resolution officially designating November as the first National American Indian Heritage Month.
But before and after the national activities, Michigan Indian Day has been on the books, and it remains unchanged. In a 2015 press release Matthew Wesaw, then director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, former chair of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, and first Native American to serve in the cabinet of a sitting Michigan governor, shared,
“Michigan’s tribal communities have survived, through times of peace and of persecution, because they held fast to the Seven Grandfather values of Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility, and Truth. This love of family, importance of community, and reverence for life are cornerstones of Michigan’s tribal nations, and continue to contribute to the vitality and cultural richness of life in our great state.”
Friday, September 25, 2026, is Michigan Indian Day and is an opportunity for learning and honoring the unique cultures and contributions of Native Americans to 12 federally-recognized tribes.
Grab your Michigan map and learn about the Bay Mills Indian Community, Brimley; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Peshawbestown; Hannahville Indian Community, Wilson; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Baraga; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Watersmeet; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Manistee; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Harbor Springs; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, Dorr; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Indians, Fulton; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Dowagiac; Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, Mt. Pleasant; and, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Sault Ste. Marie.
Indigenous peoples have cared for Michigan lands and waterways for generations, and their cultures, communities, and contributions remain vital throughout Michigan today.
Consider viewing the Detroit Bar Association’s Lunch & Learn Volunteer Session #34, “The Intersection of Tribal, State, and Federal Law.” The webinar features Hon. Melissa L. Pope, Chief Judge, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Tribal Court.
Reflect:
• What are the particular cultural interests that affect American Indian and Alaskan Native communities that impact my area of practice?
• What can I learn from Tribal communities and court systems, and principles of peacemaking and restorative justice?
• How do I become more inclusive and collaborative as legal community?
The American Indian Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan also provides education and information through meetings, seminars, and public service programs. Membership in the Section is open to all members of the State Bar of Michigan.
There is still much to learn and do to make our diverse legal community more accessible and inclusive. May the observance of Michigan Indian Day become part of that ongoing work.
In 1974, the Michigan legislature passed and Gov.William Milliken signed into law Public Act 30, establishing the fourth Friday in September each year as Michigan Indian Day. The legislation was effective March 8, 1974. The Original Bands of Chippewa Indians became the Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians and its land was taken into trust in March of 1974 as well.
During the country’s 1976 bicentennial, President Gerald Ford proclaimed the week of October 10-16 as Native American Awareness Week. J. C. Elliott-High Eagle, a Cherokee Indian from Oklahoma, authored and promoted the legislation for the historic first week of national awareness and recognition for native American Indian and Alaska natives. Jerry Chris Elliott High Eagle (born 1943) is a physicist and was one of the first American Indians to work at NASA and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint resolution officially designating November as the first National American Indian Heritage Month.
But before and after the national activities, Michigan Indian Day has been on the books, and it remains unchanged. In a 2015 press release Matthew Wesaw, then director of the Michigan Department of Civil Rights, former chair of the Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, and first Native American to serve in the cabinet of a sitting Michigan governor, shared,
“Michigan’s tribal communities have survived, through times of peace and of persecution, because they held fast to the Seven Grandfather values of Wisdom, Love, Respect, Bravery, Honesty, Humility, and Truth. This love of family, importance of community, and reverence for life are cornerstones of Michigan’s tribal nations, and continue to contribute to the vitality and cultural richness of life in our great state.”
Friday, September 25, 2026, is Michigan Indian Day and is an opportunity for learning and honoring the unique cultures and contributions of Native Americans to 12 federally-recognized tribes.
Grab your Michigan map and learn about the Bay Mills Indian Community, Brimley; Grand Traverse Band of Ottawa and Chippewa Indians, Peshawbestown; Hannahville Indian Community, Wilson; Keweenaw Bay Indian Community, Baraga; Lac Vieux Desert Band of Lake Superior Chippewa Indians, Watersmeet; Little River Band of Ottawa Indians, Manistee; Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians, Harbor Springs; Match-e-be-nash-she-wish Band of Pottawatomi Indians, Dorr; Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Indians, Fulton; Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians, Dowagiac; Saginaw Chippewa Tribe, Mt. Pleasant; and, Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa Indians, Sault Ste. Marie.
Indigenous peoples have cared for Michigan lands and waterways for generations, and their cultures, communities, and contributions remain vital throughout Michigan today.
Consider viewing the Detroit Bar Association’s Lunch & Learn Volunteer Session #34, “The Intersection of Tribal, State, and Federal Law.” The webinar features Hon. Melissa L. Pope, Chief Judge, Nottawaseppi Huron Band of the Potawatomi Tribal Court.
Reflect:
• What are the particular cultural interests that affect American Indian and Alaskan Native communities that impact my area of practice?
• What can I learn from Tribal communities and court systems, and principles of peacemaking and restorative justice?
• How do I become more inclusive and collaborative as legal community?
The American Indian Law Section of the State Bar of Michigan also provides education and information through meetings, seminars, and public service programs. Membership in the Section is open to all members of the State Bar of Michigan.
There is still much to learn and do to make our diverse legal community more accessible and inclusive. May the observance of Michigan Indian Day become part of that ongoing work.
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