Tribal Nation-Building in the US South: Reflections on a Lifetime of Leadership with the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana

Coushatta tribal leader and activist Ernest Sickey

Ernest Sickey, chairman of the Coushatta Tribe of Louisana from 1973 to 1985 and a trailblazer in the evolution of Indian affairs in the southeastern United States, visits Arizona State University Feb. 7–9 and will present a public talk on Thursday, Feb. 8. 

Sickey held leadership roles for the Coushatta Tribe of Louisiana for nearly three decades. He led his own community from legal obscurity to becoming the first tribe to be recognized by the state (1972), one of the only tribes in the nation to be recognized by the Department of Interior through administrative channels (1973), and laid the foundation for multiple economic ventures that have since placed the Coushatta among the state’s top private employers.

In addition to his efforts in advocating for his own community, Sickey lobbied the Louisiana legislature to create an Office of Indian Affairs, which he served as the first executive director. He was also among the founders of the Louisiana Inter-Tribal Council and Institute for Indian Development. Today, Louisiana is home to four federally recognized and ten state recognized tribes.

A key player in the broader regional movement in promoting Indigenous rights, Sickey was among the original members of the United Southern and Eastern Tribes (USEC). He testified before Congress, led efforts in establishing legal precedents around land claims and tribal jurisdiction, and has spoken before United Nations panels.

Denise Bates, Assistant Professor
Leadership and Interdisciplinary Studies, College of Integrative Sciences and Arts
Denise.Bates@asu.edu
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ASU Memorial Union, Pima room 230
Free and open to the public