I am sad to announce the passing of a great man, who profoundly influenced our nation’s understanding of Native sovereignty, and who helped guide Evergreen for many years.  Billy Frank, Jr., a trustee for the college from 1996 to 2003, was a Native American environmental leader and treaty rights activist who spent much of his life advocating for human rights for all.

Billy grew up fishing for salmon and steelhead on the Nisqually River, and he was on the front line of the long struggle over treaty-guaranteed Indian fishing rights in the 1960s and ‘70s.  His perseverance landed him in jail more than 40 times, bringing national attention to the issue and helping to guarantee Indian fishing rights when the “Boldt Decision” was affirmed by the U.S. Supreme Court in 1979.  As chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, Billy achieved a number of key agreements between the tribes and various local, state and federal officials that further strengthened treaty-guaranteed fishing rights and environmental protection laws.

Billy was the deserving recipient of many significant honors during his lifetime, including the 2004 American Indian Visionary Award, given for exceptional contributions to American Indian freedom; the Albert Schweitzer Prize in 1992 for Humanitarianism and the 1990 Martin Luther King, Jr., Distinguished Service Award for Humanitarian Achievement.  Evergreen awarded him honorary MPA and MES degrees in 2004.

Billy continued to serve as an advisor to the college and as personal counsel to me till the time of his death.  We will fly the black flag in his memory until the time of his memorial services.