John Borbridge Jr

John Borbridge, Jr. (1927 – May 10, 2016) (Tlingit name: Duk saa.aat) was a Tlingit leader of the Raven L’Uknax.ádi (Coho clan) from the Frog House and Wooshkeetaan yadi[1] who played a prominent role in the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA).

Borbridge was born in Juneau, Alaska. He attended Sheldon Jackson College and later obtained his Bachelor of Arts degree from University of Michigan and did graduate work at the University of Washington in Seattle. He worked as a teacher and coach at Sheldon-Jackson High School in Sitka and Juneau-Douglas High School for six years before taking on leadership and advocacy roles in Tribal Governance and Native Land rights.[2]

He served six years (1967–72) as President of the Central Council of the Tlingit & Haida Tribes of Alaska. In this capacity he provided public testimony on H.R.14212 during Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) hearings in Anchorage and Fairbanks,[3] Alaska.

In 1975, Borbridge was asked by South Dakota Senator James Abourezk to serve on the American Indian Policy Review Commission.  The commission was allocated a 2 million dollars to conduct a study and put forth recommendations for overhauling federal policies related to Indian country. The commission's findings (American Indian Policy Review Commission Final Report Submitted to Congress May 17, 1977) included the concerns and recommendations for policy changes based on extensive public testimony collected by commission task forces.[4]  

In a 1985 interview, Borbridge referred to Alaska Native Corporations as, "corporations with a conscience, with a soul.''[5]

Borbridge was awarded an honorary Doctor of Laws from the University of Alaska Southeast in 2012 in recognition of his lifetime advocacy for Alaska Native issues.[6][7]

References
  1. "Prominent Alaska Native leader passes". Juneau Empire. May 13, 2016. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  2. Schoenfeld, Ed (May 11, 2016). "Tlingit leader remembered for land claims role". KTOO CoastAlaska News. Retrieved October 21, 2021.
  3. Borbridge, John Jr. (October 17–18, 1969). "STATEMENT OF JOHN BORBRIDGE, PRESIDENT AND GENERAL MANAGER, CENTRAL COUNCIL OF TLINGIT INDIANS OF ALASKA (written)". Alaskool.
  4. Parker, Alan R (2018). Pathways to Indigenous Nation Sovereignty : A Chronicle of Federal Policy Developments. Michigan State University Press. pp. 13–15.
  5. Yarrow, Andrew (March 17, 1985). "ALASKA'S NATIVES TRY A TASTE OF CAPITALISM". The New York Times. Retrieved October 25, 2021.
  6. "UAS will present more than 600 degrees weekend". Associated Press State Wire: Alaska (AK). May 1, 2012.
  7. "Honorary Degrees & Meritorious Service Awards". University of Alaska Southeast. 2012. Retrieved October 22, 2021.


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