Land Grant Universities got their money through land confiscations, often through violence and threats. The Land Back Symposium was a day-long event at Cal Poly Humboldt, Arcata, CA, held on March 24 of 2023. A powerful movement of land return is spreading across the world and has even reached some support from state governments.
The Land Grab Universities session was led by Dr. Brittani Orona, Hoopa Valley Tribe (Assistant Professor of American Indian Studies, San Diego State University) The panelist were: He-Lo Ramirez, Menchoopda Indian Tribe, (Council Member & Director of Environmental Planning and Protection at the Chico Rancheria); Rachel McBride-Praetorius, Yurok, (Director of the Office of Tribal Relations, Chico State University); Phenocia Bauerle, Crow from Montana. (Director, Native American Student Development UC Berkeley); and Adam Canter (Natural Resource Director of the Wiyot Tribe).
Early on in this discussion Phenocia Bauerle pointed to an essential research tool, an award winning book and interactive website that has a near compete listing of the parcels taken from indigenous land under the Morrill Act of 1862. The listings shows the name of the Native Tribe and that of the recipient University. This LandGrabU - project was completed by investigative reporter Tristan Ahtone and historian Robert Lee. On the database of the website at www.landgrabu.org/ you may be able to find - as I did - that a parcel of redwood forest a few miles from where I now live, was given to Auburn University in Alabama to finance their operations under the Morrill Act.
Many Morrill Act parcels have been sold since the mid 18hundreds - or logged or mined for the benefit of the land grant university. But quite a few parcels are still in the possession of the recipient university. And they could and should be returned to the tribes most easily.
And indeed - the first efforts of land return are being undertaken right now and the four panelists in this session are all involved in the early steps.
You can find videos of all sessions on the website of https://www.californiasalmon.org/
DATE: March 24, 2023, Location Cal Poly Humboldt, CA.
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