Billy Frank Jr.

Billy Frank Jr.
Billy Frank Jr. at the 2012 Ecotrust Indigenous Leadership Award ceremony in Portland, Oregon
Born(1931-03-09)March 9, 1931
Nisqually, Washington, U.S.
DiedMay 5, 2014(2014-05-05) (aged 83)
Nisqually, Washington, U.S.
NationalityNisqually Indian
OccupationNative American rights activist
Years active1960-2014
Known forAdvocate of tribal fishing rights, leader of "fish-ins" during Fish Wars
Relatives
  • Angeline Frank (mother)
  • Willie Frank (father)
AwardsPresidential Medal of Freedom

Billy Frank Jr. (March 9, 1931 – May 5, 2014) was a Native American environmental leader and advocate of treaty rights. As a member of the Nisqually tribe, Frank led a grassroots campaign in the 1960s and 1970s to secure fishing rights on the Nisqually River, located in Washington state. His efforts centered around promoting cooperative management of natural resources. Frank served as the chairman of the Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission for over thirty years.[1]

During the Fish Wars, Frank organized a series of "fish-ins." These events culminated in the Boldt Decision, which affirmed that Washington state tribes were entitled to fifty percent of the annual fish harvest.[2]

In recognition of his contributions, Frank was posthumously awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama in November 2015.[3] The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge was renamed in his honor in December 2015.[4][5][6] Billy Frank Jr. continues to be considered a bridge between Western and Native American societies in regards to environmental sustainability.[7]

  1. ^ "Interior Secretary Norton Honors Cooperative Conservation Partnership at Nisqually River Watershed." Interior Department. August 25, 2005 [permanent dead link]
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference :2 was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ "President Obama Names Recipients of the Presidential Medal of Freedom". whitehouse.gov. November 16, 2015. Retrieved November 16, 2015 – via National Archives.
  4. ^ "Statement by the Press Secretary on H.J.Res. 76, H.R. 2270, H.R. 2297, H.R. 2693, H.R. 2820, H.R. 3594, H.R. 3831, H.R. 4246, S. 614, S. 808, S. 1090 and S. 1461". whitehouse.gov (Press release). December 18, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2015 – via National Archives.
  5. ^ "Nisqually wildlife refuge to be renamed for activist Billy Frank Jr". The Seattle Times. December 14, 2015. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  6. ^ Connelly, Joel (December 14, 2015). "Senate passes legislation to rename Nisqually Wildlife Refuge for Billy Frank Jr". Seattle Post-Intelligencer. Retrieved December 26, 2015.
  7. ^ Nielsen, Larry A. (2017). Nature's Allies: Eight Conservationists who Changed our World. Washington DC: Island Press. p. 149. ISBN 9781610917957.