Protecting Oak Flat and Other Indigenous Sacred Places

Notre Dame Law School’s Religious Liberty Initiative hosted a discussion on April 29, 2021, about the importance of adequate protections for Indigenous sacred places in North America, along with the current fight to save Oak Flat in Arizona. Panelists shared perspectives on a history of broken promises and government divestiture of tribal homelands, as well as updates on litigation, possible political solutions, and other potential issues on the horizon.

Panel:
– Kristen Carpenter – Professor, University of Colorado Law School
– Suzan Shown Harjo – President, The Morning Star Institute
– Stephen Pevar – Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU
– Michalyn Steele – Professor, BYU Law School

Notre Dame Law Professor Stephanie Barclay, who directs the Religious Liberty Initiative, moderated the discussion.

Co-sponsors: Sustainability Minor, Native American Initiatives, Native American Student Association of Notre Dame, and the American Indian Catholic Schools Network