Albert Bender

Albert Bender is a Cherokee activist, historian, political columnist, and freelance reporter. He is currently writing a legal treatise on Native American sovereignty and working on a book on the war crimes committed by the U.S. against the Maya people in the Guatemalan civil war He is a consulting attorney on Indigenous sovereignty, land restoration, and Indian Child Welfare Act (ICWA) issues.

LATEST ARTICLES BY Albert Bender

Opinion

Petition campaign launched to halt South Dakota genocide of Native people
January 28, 2014 By Albert Bender
As part of a new campaign to stop the genocide of Native American people in South Dakota, the Lakota People's Law Project has initiated the Campaign to Free Lakota Children with a national petition.
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Opinion

Carter Camp, warrior for Native rights, dies at 72
January 22, 2014 By Albert Bender
After decades of struggle, Camp died Dec. 27, 2013 on tribal land in White Eagle, Okla. He was 72.
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U.S.

Life of Russell Means to be honored in Denver
November 5, 2013 By Albert Bender
On Nov. 7-10, Russell's family and supporters will host "Mitakuye Oyasin - Celebrating the Life and Legacy of Russell Means," with programs and panels to honor the huge contributions he made to both the Indian and...
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U.S.

UN rep meets with tribes on abduction of Native children
October 30, 2013 By Albert Bender
UN Human Rights Officer Giorgia Passarelli recently met with tribal members, relatives of the children taken by the South Dakota Department of Social Services.
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Opinion

South Dakota covers up sex abuse of Native foster children
September 16, 2013 By Albert Bender
Forced into sexually abusive foster care; incredible and atrocious as it may sound, that is the fate the state of South Dakota assigned to several Lakota children through its Department of Social Services.
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Opinion

Is South Dakota being “demonized” over treatment of Native Americans?
August 12, 2013 By Albert Bender
South Dakota is a hotbed of virulent racism, perhaps without parallel anywhere else in the U.S.
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Environment

Keystone XL pipeline means “death” for Native Americans
July 8, 2013 By Albert Bender
The KXL project, if approved, would stretch 1,179 miles to transport tar sands oil, the dirtiest in the industry, from Canada through the U.S. Northern Plains to refineries in Texas.
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Opinion

South Dakota commits shocking genocide against Native Americans
June 3, 2013 By Albert Bender
Without consent or authority, South Dakota officials remove American Indian children from their families and place them in the foster care system, in violation of the Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978.
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