Gov. Steve Bullock proclaimed Thursday, Nov. 5 as Elouise Cobell Day in honor of the late Blackfeet tribal member.
Cobell led a 15-year legal fight to force the U.S. government to account for more than a century of mismanaged Indian land royalties.
Bullock made the proclamation in Helena on Thursday alongside Montana Superintendent of Public Schools Denise Juneau, a descendent of the Blackfeet Tribe, state Sen. Lea Witford and members of the Cobell family.
“Eloise Cobell was a determined fighter who refused to let injustice stand. Through her legacy tireless advocacy for the Blackfeet Nation she inspired not only members of her tribe, but all Montanans and Americans to stand by their convictions even in the face of overwhelming opposition,” Bullock said of Cobell. “It is my honor to honor her legacy by proclaiming Nov. 5 as Elouise Cobell Day.”
Cobell served as the treasurer of the Blackfeet Tribe for over a decade. She discovered the accounting of the management of individual lands held in trust by the United States to be in chaos and filed the largest class-action suit against the federal government in United States history to recover royalties that had never been paid. She was the lead plaintiff in a lawsuit filed in 1996, known as Cobell v. Salazar, which after 14 years of litigation resulted in a 2009 settlement of $3.4 billion, approved by Congress and the President in 2010 to provide payment to those whose property had been held in trust.
The beneficiaries are estimated to be about 500,000 people.
“Growing up, my mother instilled in me a deep commitment to standing up for what is right, no matter how difficult that task is,” said Turk Cobell, Elousie’s son. “I’m humbled to join Governor Bullock today as we honor my mother’s legacy, and ensure that the values she lived by are shared with future generations.”
Cobell passed away in 2011.
“I’m proud to honor a woman who stood up and fought for what’s right,” Superintendent Denise Juneau said. “Elouise Cobell was one of my heroes and all American Indians can thank her for never giving up.”
The proclamation came after the 2015 Legislature failed to pass a bill sponsored by Whitford that would have named the day in honor of Cobell.
“Elouise Cobell showed generations of the Blackfeet Nation that through smart, determined advocacy, it is possible to overcome institutional injustice,” Whitford said. “She serves as an inspiration to all who fight to improve the lives of those who are marginalized.”
U.S. Sen. Jon Tester, vice chairman of the Senate Indian Affairs Committee, issued a statement after the proclamation.
“Elouise Cobell is a guiding light who will always lead the way for Americans who seek justice and fairness. She reminds us that in this country anyone can rise up and make their voice heard. It is critical that future generations of Montanans know Elouise’s story so she can be a source of inspiration for them, just as she is for me.”