tribal leader dies at 99 – .

Kathryn Harrison was a matriarch of the Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon who successfully advocated for federal recognition for her tribe. 

Kathryn Harrison’s legacy 

Harrison studied nursing, becoming the first Native American graduate of the nursing program at Lane Community College in Eugene, Oregon. She worked as a nurse and an alcohol rehabilitation counselor at the Siletz Tribal Substance Use Treatment Program. In the early 1980s, she became involved in the effort to restore federal recognition to the Siletz people and 60 other tribes, which had lost that recognition in the 1950s. She testified before Congress in 1983, contributing to the success of the effort. 

Shortly after her testimony, Harrison was elected to the Grand Ronde Tribal Council, where she served for 17 years, including six as tribal chair, the first woman to lead the council. Among her projects was bringing gaming to her tribe with the establishment of the Spirit Mountain Casino. Harrison also advocated for education, healthcare, and more.  

Harrison received wide recognition, including having her name added to the Wall of Honor at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. She received the Oregon History Maker Award and the Betty Roberts Women in Leadership Award, as well as several honorary degrees.  

Tributes to Kathryn Harrison 

Full obituary: Statesman Journal 

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