Lecture

Talk on John Voelker/Robert Traver’s “Laughing Whitefish” on Sept. 27

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

As part of the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the publication of Robert Traver’s Anatomy of a Murder, I will be giving a presentation on Traver’s novel, “Laughing Whitefish,” which is based on the three Michigan Supreme Court cases involving Marji Kobogum’s daughter Charlotte, aka Laughing Whitefish.

The presentation is at the Library of Michigan, on Sept. 27, 2008:

11:10 a.m. to 12:00 p.m.
Session A:  Laughing Whitefish
Forum Auditorium
John D. Voelker’s courtroom drama Laughing Whitefish tells the story of a young Chippewa woman’s struggle to collect a debt owed to her father by the Jackson Ore Company.  It is based on a case that went before the Michigan Supreme Court three times in the 1880s before it was resolved. This session will discuss the book, the actual Kawbawgam case and their impact on Michigan Native Americans.

Here are the legal materials in the case:

kobogum-v-jackson-iron-1889

compo-v-jackson-iron-1883

compo-v-jackson-iron-1882

2009 Speaker Series

Kate Fort

We’ve added our 2009 Speaker Series page to the blog.  Speakers this year include Justin Richland, Stuart Banner and Robert Dale Parker.  Click here for more information abou the speakers, their books and the tentative dates of the events.

Christopher Wetzel on the Potawatomi Nation

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

MSU AISP is hosting a talk by Dr. Christopher Wetzel on the rebirth of the Potawatomi Nation. Here is the flyer.

The talk is on September 18.

Careers in Indian Law — TODAY

Matthew L.M. Fletcher1 Comment

Today, we’re delighted to host Trent Crable and Jeff Davis at the Indigenous Law and Policy Center. They will be speaking on Careers in Indian Law

Trent is a member of the Makah Nation. He graduated from Michigan Law School in 2005 and, until he relocated to Chicago, he worked for Morisett, Schlosser, Jozwiak, and McGaw, a Seattle law firm specializing in Indian Law.

Jeff is a member of the Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa Indians and is an Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Michigan. Jeff is the tribal liaison for the W.D. Mich.

We’ll be in the Castle Board Room here at the law college. LUNCH is free.

AIM: Movement or Mafia?

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Interesting program hosted by MSU students, featuring Joseph and John Trimbauch, and Tim Giago. Commentary about Wounded Knee, “Incident at Oglala,” Leonard Peltier, Russell Means, and others. April 23 at the Kellogg Center.

Derrick Bell Gives 1st Vine Deloria Lecture at Univ. of Arizona Law School

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Podcast here.

Eddie Benton-Banai Talk in Grand Rapids on Saturday

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

Straight School, February 9, 2008, from 10-4.

Eddie Benton-Banai Flyer

AALS Annual Meeting in Manhattan — Indian Law Related Panels

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The 2008 AALS Annual Meeting starts today. Here is the speaker listing for the two (mainly) Indian Law panels. Both are Saturday afternoon:

Continue reading →

Marilyn Vann Talk Materials

Matthew L.M. Fletcher4 Comments

On November 9, 2007, Marilyn Vann spoke about the history of the Cherokee Freedmen here at MSU law college. As she did during her talk at last April’s Federal Bar Association’s Indian Law Conference, she presented a slide show of numerous materials.

Here are the materials — Marilyn Vann Materials

And here is a description of each page in the materials provided by Marilyn: Continue reading →

Mich. Supreme Court Justice Cavanagh Remarks before the Michigan Indian Judicial Association

Matthew L.M. Fletcher

The text of Justice Cavanagh’s talk can be downloaded here: Justice Cavanagh’s Remarks