LaNada War Jack (born LaNada Vernae Boyer, 1947), also known as LaNada Boyer and LaNada Means, is an American writer and activist. She was the first Native American student admitted to the
University of California at Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant univ ...
in 1968. She led the drive to create the Native American Student Organization and became its chair. As a leader of the
Third World Strike at UC Berkeley in 1969, she was arrested but succeeded in obtaining approval for the first ethnic studies courses to be included in the university's curricula. A few months later, she became one of the organizers of the
Occupation of Alcatraz in 1969. After the occupation, she completed her bachelor's degree at the University of California, Berkeley and went on to study law at
Antioch School of Law in Washington, D.C. While in Washington, she participated in the takeover of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States federal agency within the Department of the Interior. It is responsible for implementing federal laws and policies related to American Indians and A ...
office in 1972.
Returning to Idaho in 1974, War Jack (then known as Boyer) was involved in tribal politics and served a two-year term on the
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho
The Fort Hall Reservation is a Native American reservation of the federally recognized Shoshone-Bannock Tribes (Shoshoni language: Pohoko’ikkateeCrum, B., Crum, E., & Dayley, J. P. (2001). Newe Hupia: Shoshoni Poetry Songs. University Press o ...
Tribal Council. In 1979, she moved to Nevada and operated a ranch near
Wadsworth Wadsworth may refer to:
People
* Wadsworth (surname)
* Wadsworth (given name)
Places
* Wadsworth, Illinois, United States, a village
* Wadsworth, Kansas, United States
* Wadsworth, Nevada, United States, a census-designated place
* Wadswo ...
, gaining certification in
permaculture
Permaculture is an approach to land management and settlement design that adopts arrangements observed in flourishing natural ecosystems. It includes a set of design principles derived using whole-systems thinking. It applies these principle ...
from the Permaculture Institute at Tagari Garden Farm, near
Sisters Creek, Tasmania
Sisters Creek is a locality and small rural community in the local government areas of Waratah-Wynyard and Circular Head, in the North-west and west region of Tasmania. It is located about north-west of the town of Wynyard. The Bass Highway ...
. Along with her husband, Gus James, a
Northern Paiute
Northern may refer to the following:
Geography
* North, a point in direction
* Northern Europe, the northern part or region of Europe
* Northern Highland, a region of Wisconsin, United States
* Northern Province, Sri Lanka
* Northern Range, a r ...
, she worked on preserving natural resources for American Indian use. When they divorced in the early 1990s, she returned to Idaho and earned a master's degree in public administration and a PhD in political science from
Idaho State University
, mottoeng = "The truth will set you free"
, established =
, former_names = Academy of Idaho(1901–1915)Idaho Technical Institute(1915–1927)University of Idaho—Southern Branch(1927–1947)Idaho State ...
. She served for three years as the Executive Director of the Shoshone Bannock Tribes. She has continued her activism on behalf of Native people and is a
distinguished professor at
Boise State University
Boise State University (BSU) is a public research university in Boise, Idaho. Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church, it became an independent junior college in 1934 and has been awarding baccalaureate and master's degrees It became a publ ...
, teaching Native law and governance courses.
Early life and education
LaNada Vernae Boyer was born in 1947 on the
Fort Hall Indian Reservation in
Bingham County, Idaho to Olive May (née Burns) and Edward Queep Boyer. Her mother was a veteran of World War II and had worked as a welder in the
Vancouver
Vancouver ( ) is a major city in western Canada, located in the Lower Mainland region of British Columbia. As the List of cities in British Columbia, most populous city in the province, the 2021 Canadian census recorded 662,248 people in the ...
shipyard
A shipyard, also called a dockyard or boatyard, is a place where ships are built and repaired. These can be yachts, military vessels, cruise liners or other cargo or passenger ships. Dockyards are sometimes more associated with maintenance a ...
before returning to the reservation to raise her family. On her maternal side, her grandparents were Edith (née Bartlett), a teacher descended from Teash Ocean, and John Burns, son of the
Bannock
Bannock may mean:
* Bannock (food), a kind of bread, cooked on a stone or griddle
* Bannock (Indigenous American), various types of bread, usually prepared by pan-frying
* Bannock people, a Native American people of what is now southeastern Oregon ...
chief, Tahgee. Her father had also served in the
United States Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
in Vancouver and later became a council member and chair of the
Shoshone-Bannock Tribes of the Fort Hall Reservation of Idaho
The Fort Hall Reservation is a Native American reservation of the federally recognized Shoshone-Bannock Tribes (Shoshoni language: Pohoko’ikkateeCrum, B., Crum, E., & Dayley, J. P. (2001). Newe Hupia: Shoshoni Poetry Songs. University Press o ...
during the
termination period. He represented the tribe in their
land claims, and testified before the U.S. Congress on civil rights, education, and water rights in the 1960s. In the 1970s, he founded the Shoshone-Bannock Legal Research Project to continue the cultural and civic protection of American Indians. He was descended from war chief Tah mon mah.
Boyer attended school on the reservation and in the
American Indian boarding schools system. She was a good student, but was frequently expelled and had to change schools because she spoke out about the institutional environment. "Children were beaten for speaking their native language, practicing
their culture, and following their own religions". In 1965, because there were no jobs on the reservation, Boyer moved to San Francisco, through the
U.S. government relocation program. She married Theodore L. Means, a relative of
Russell Means
Russell Charles Means (November 10, 1939 – October 22, 2012) was an Oglala Lakota activist for the rights of Native Americans, libertarian political activist, actor, musician, and writer. He became a prominent member of the American Ind ...
. The couple had two children but divorced in 1967. In January 1968, she enrolled at the
University of California at Berkeley
The University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley, Berkeley, Cal, or California) is a public land-grant research university in Berkeley, California. Established in 1868 as the University of California, it is the state's first land-grant univ ...
, becoming the first Native American student admitted to the institution. Active in student politics, she led the drive to create the campus Native American Student Organization and became its chair.
Student activism (1969–1973)
In January 1969, Means became involved in the
Third World Strike, which demanded that the university included histories of communities of color in their curricula to be taught by
people of color. It united students from the Afro-American Students Union, the Asian American Political Alliance, the Mexican-American Student Confederation, and the Native American Student Organization. Means was among the students arrested during the protests and suspended for her leadership of the demonstrations, along with
Manuel Ruben Delgado
Manuel may refer to:
People
* Manuel (name)
* Manuel (Fawlty Towers), a fictional character from the sitcom ''Fawlty Towers''
* Charlie Manuel, manager of the Philadelphia Phillies
* Manuel I Komnenos, emperor of the Byzantine Empire
* Manu ...
and Ysidro Macias. In the 1960s, it was rare for political movements to have women in leadership positions and supporting Means in her authority to lead became a symbol for indigenous feminism. Within three months, the strikes were successful in securing an agreement for launching the first ethnic studies department in the United States at UC Berkeley.
Since the
1964 Occupation of Alcatraz, the island had been a powerful symbol to urban Indians in the
San Francisco Bay Area
The San Francisco Bay Area, often referred to as simply the Bay Area, is a populous region surrounding the San Francisco, San Pablo, and Suisun Bay estuaries in Northern California. The Bay Area is defined by the Association of Bay Area Go ...
. In 1969, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors granted
Lamar Hunt preliminary approval for the commercial development of Alcatraz. Shortly after, in October, the San Francisco Indian Center, the primary meeting place and administrative center for social services for the Bay Area's urban Indians burned. The United Council of the Bay Area proposed Alcatraz as a replacement facility and began plans to take over the island. On November 9, 1969, Means and
Richard Oakes led 12 other students to occupy
Alcatraz Island overnight. Lacking food and shelter, they left the following day.
Distancing herself from "so called Indian leaders" who were distrusted because of their age and social status in mainstream society, Means urged the student activists to plan a return to the island when John Folster,
Adam Fortunate Eagle
Adam Fortunate Eagle L.H.D. (born Adam Nordwall), hereditary member of the Red Lake Band of Chippewa Indians, is a Native American activist and was the principal organizer of the 1969–1971 Occupation of Alcatraz by "Indians of All Tribes".
Ea ...
, and George Woodward were out of town. The students chose November 20, because the leadership were scheduled to be away at a national Indian educational conference. Means, one of the few who remained on the island for the 19-month occupation, brought her 2-year-old son, Deynon and on Sundays would leave to check on her apartment and communicate with her professors. Consciously choosing to bring their families, activists hoped to convey the generational and inter-tribal nature of their quest for indigenous rights. She wrote the grant proposal for $300,000 seeking to create a cultural and university facility on Alcatraz and served in a leadership role throughout the occupation, traveling throughout the United States and speaking to raise support for their cause. She became friends with
Jane Fonda
Jane Seymour Fonda (born December 21, 1937) is an American actress, activist, and former fashion model. Recognized as a film icon, Fonda is the recipient of various accolades including two Academy Awards, two British Academy Film Awards, sev ...
, who assisted her in obtaining engagements and television appearances. The Occupation of Alcatraz became a symbol of the struggle of indigenous people to re-establish their identity and led to over 50 other occupations of government facilities.
When the occupation ended, Means completed her education in 1971, graduating with honors in Native American Law & Politics. One of the founding members of the
Native American Rights Fund
The Native American Rights Fund (NARF) is a non-profit organization that uses existing laws and treaties to ensure that U.S. state governments and the U.S. federal government live up to their legal obligations. NARF also "provides legal representa ...
, she served on its executive board for a decade. She relocated to Washington D.C. and enrolled in law school at the Antioch School of Law. In November 1972, she took part (as LaNada Boyer) in the occupation of the offices of the
Bureau of Indian Affairs
The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), also known as Indian Affairs (IA), is a United States federal agency within the Department of the Interior. It is responsible for implementing federal laws and policies related to American Indians and A ...
. The activists remained in the building for a week seeking to raise awareness of government failures in providing for American Indians and in treaty violations.
Politics (1976–1990)
Boyer returned to the reservation, and in 1974, ran for a seat on the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Council. In 1976, she ran again, and was successful in obtaining a seat on the Tribal Council, serving a two-year term. During her time on the Council, the tribe was in a dispute with the
Power County Board of Commissioners over zoning rights, hunting and fishing rights, and representation for non-Native residents on the tribal council. Boyer's position was that the reservation was created for tribal members and should remain within the purview of tribal law.
In 1979, Boyer married Alvin Ray "Gus" James, a
Paiute involved in the
Pyramid Lake Indian Reservation
The Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe Reservation is a United States reservation in northwestern Nevada, approximately northeast of Reno, in Washoe, Storey, and Lyon counties.
It is governed by the federally recognized Pyramid Lake Paiute Tribe, whi ...
resource rights litigation with the federal government. By the early 1980s, James was living in Nevada and operating a ranch near
Wadsworth Wadsworth may refer to:
People
* Wadsworth (surname)
* Wadsworth (given name)
Places
* Wadsworth, Illinois, United States, a village
* Wadsworth, Kansas, United States
* Wadsworth, Nevada, United States, a census-designated place
* Wadswo ...
, where they engaged in
permaculture
Permaculture is an approach to land management and settlement design that adopts arrangements observed in flourishing natural ecosystems. It includes a set of design principles derived using whole-systems thinking. It applies these principle ...
for their organic garden. She earned a Certificate in Permaculture Design in 1985 from the Permaculture Institute at Tagari Garden Farm, near
Sisters Creek, Tasmania
Sisters Creek is a locality and small rural community in the local government areas of Waratah-Wynyard and Circular Head, in the North-west and west region of Tasmania. It is located about north-west of the town of Wynyard. The Bass Highway ...
. She had two more children and assisted Gus in pressing the water rights case regarding the
Truckee River
The Truckee River is a river in the U.S. states of California and Nevada. The river flows northeasterly and is long.U.S. Geological Survey. National Hydrography Dataset high-resolution flowline dataThe National Map accessed October 20, 2012 The ...
. She also served on the Ad Hoc Committee to Protect Indian Water Rights and represented the organization in public meetings regarding proposed legislation. In 1986 the couple circulated a successful petition to reject a proposed bill to compensate the tribe for water use, but which did not contain provisions for adequate lake levels for spawning fish. That year, James also ran on the
Democratic ticket for the
Nevada Assembly as a representative for District 34, but was defeated.
Later career (1990–present)
James divorced and returned to Idaho. She enrolled in a master's program at
Idaho State University
, mottoeng = "The truth will set you free"
, established =
, former_names = Academy of Idaho(1901–1915)Idaho Technical Institute(1915–1927)University of Idaho—Southern Branch(1927–1947)Idaho State ...
, earning her degree in public administration. In 1997, she worked as a congressional fellow in Washington, D.C. Continuing her studies, she graduated with a PhD in political science in 1999, becoming the first member of her tribe to earn a doctorate. James began using her tribal name LaNada War Jack, and served three years as Executive Director of the Shoshone Bannock Tribes. In 2002, War Jack attended the Land Retention Summit in
Epes, Alabama
Epes is a town in Sumter County, Alabama, Sumter County, Alabama, United States. Initially called Epes Station, it was incorporated as Epes in 1899. At the 2010 census the population was 192, down from 206 in 2000.
Geography
Epes is located near ...
, which allowed advocates and activists to share their stories and advice on retaining and managing their lands. She founded a non-profit organization, the Atzlana Foundation, to focus on protecting indigenous rights to air, land, fishing, and water. War Jack has continued her activism and was involved in the
Standing Rock protest
The Dakota Access Pipeline Protests, also called by the hashtag #NoDAPL, began in April 2016 as a grassroots opposition to the construction of Energy Transfer Partners' Dakota Access Pipeline in the northern United States and ended on Februar ...
of 2016, the 50th anniversary celebrations of the Alcatraz Occupation, and protests against the celebration of
Columbus Day. In addition to speaking widely on Native rights issues, she has taught Native American History at
Creighton University and lectured at her alma mater, UC Berkeley. She is a distinguished professor at
Boise State University
Boise State University (BSU) is a public research university in Boise, Idaho. Founded in 1932 by the Episcopal Church, it became an independent junior college in 1934 and has been awarding baccalaureate and master's degrees It became a publ ...
and teaches Native law and governance courses.
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{{DEFAULTSORT:War Jack, LaNada
1947 births
Living people
People from Bingham County, Idaho
Activists from Idaho
Bannock people
University of California, Berkeley alumni
Idaho State University alumni
University of California, Berkeley faculty
Boise State University faculty
Creighton University faculty
Native American activists
Native American women in politics
Ranchers from Nevada
Native American writers
Writers from Idaho
21st-century American women writers
American women academics
20th-century Native American women
20th-century Native Americans
21st-century Native American women
21st-century Native Americans