Native American history will be added to the state of Illinois curriculum following legislation that passed Thursday. American history or government classes taught in Illinois elementary and high schools will now include lessons devoted to the experience and history of Native Americans. “You cannot truly understand our state or our country without learning about the experience of Native Americans,” State Representative Maurice West said, who sponsored the bill. “We must preserve the history of Native Americans in Illinois, and it is absolutely critical for our young people to understand the Native American experience as they grow into the next leaders of our state.”
The Cheyenne River Buffalo Authority Corporation (CRBAC), under the leadership of CEO Jayme Murray, leads the way as an advocate for the benefits of American buffalo (Bison) farming. Murray says the Buffalo Authority Corporation’s determination to repatriate buffalo into farming commerce and a healthful diet are steadfast despite many adversities rooted in the United States’ agricultural industry. The mission of the Buffalo Authority is simple, according to Murray; to continue the legacy of the buffalo, to reincorporate buffalo into everyday life, to create security and sustainability, and to respect all the gifts of Uŋčí Maká/Mother Earth. The CRBAC currently has roughly 1,100 head of buffalo, among other livestock. The Buffalo Authority Corporation, though owned by the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe, has its own Board of Directors.
Those are your headlines at this hour. I’m Colette Keith in the KIPI News center.
