Native News

The Native News Project is a new initiative from MPR News.

Stay informed with the latest news about local and national Native American communities, highlighting stories and issues important to Native American communities in Minnesota and beyond.

Our coverage includes cultural events, policy updates, community stories and more to provide a platform for Native voices, perspectives and important news.

Oneida and Ojibwe health leader among winners of 2024 Bush Foundation fellowships
Unusually bold, visionary leaders have captured 24 prestigious 2024 Bush Foundation community fellowships. Antony Stately, Oneida and Ojibwe, of Prior Lake, is among those who beat out 558 other applicants for the esteemed award. So it’s no small feat to win.
White Earth conducting historical preservation interviews to inform new K-12 curriculum
Members of the White Earth Nation will have a chance to have their stories recorded and eventually used in Minnesota K-12 social studies curriculum.
Minneapolis resolution passes, school focused on Native cultural education to get new home
A Minneapolis elementary school dedicated to American Indian cultural education is on track to move into its own building for the first time since the school opened almost a decade and a half ago. Students’ families and school leaders are also asking the district for dedicated busing.
Alissa Pili signs with N7, talks Indigenous fan support
Although she’s still adjusting to the WNBA’s intense pace and starting with a new team, Pili said the support she’s received has only grown since playing professionally as a member of the Minnesota Lynx.
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe voters head to the polls to determine next phase of leadership
Minnesota Chippewa Tribe voters head to the polls Tuesday to elect leadership across the six member nations. Tribal leaders consider issues related to regional and state politics, including cannabis dispensaries and grow facilities and the restoration of tribal lands. 
What to know about Indigenous activist Leonard Peltier’s first hearing in more than a decade
Peltier has spent most of his life in prison since his conviction in the 1975 killings of two FBI agents in South Dakota. Supporters have long argued that Peltier was wrongly convicted and say this parole hearing may be his last chance at freedom.
Supreme Court sides with Native American tribes in health care funding dispute with government
The 5-4 decision means the government will cover millions in overhead costs that two tribes faced when they took over running their health care programs under a law meant to give Native Americans more local control.
Red Lake Nation College expands to Minneapolis, students feel sense of home
Red Lake Nation College will serve more students from all backgrounds with its latest expansion to Minneapolis. Native students from the Twin Cities say they have found a sense of belonging at the tribal college’s new site.
New adult-use cannabis dispensary opens in Minnesota, closest to Twin Cities
The Sweetest Grass is about 182 miles from downtown Minneapolis, making it the closest dispensary to the Twin Cities — at least until Prairie Island Indian Community opens its dispensary, planned for later this month.