Indigenous Justice

The ACLU of Montana seeks to uplift Indigenous people, communities and tribes through community-directed and integrated legal and advocacy work. We aim to support tribal communities -- and follow their lead -- as they work to uphold their sovereignty, dignity, and autonomy. We work to dismantle colonial systems of oppression that are found in all our institutions, including schools and prisons.

Montana is home to seven Indian reservations and 12 federally recognized tribes. Indigenous people -- about 78,000 people, or 6.5 percent of the population in the state -- are the largest minority group in Montana.

State and federal governments have never adequately addressed how the legacy of colonization continues to harm Indigenous people. Since the founding of the United States, Indigenous people have faced systemic injustice and inequality in all aspects of our society. In particular, Montana’s education and criminal legal systems must address historic and current discrimination against Indigenous people and other people of color. Our Indigenous Justice work also focuses on Indigenous voting rights, free speech, and treaty rights.

While Indigenous Justice is closely tied to Racial Justice, the ACLU of Montana recognizes that Indigenous Justice is not simply an aspect of Racial Justice, but a complex web of racial, political, and sovereignty issues. Our Indigenous Justice priorities are informed by conversations with Indigenous leaders and community members across the state, with Education Equity as our top priority. The ACLU of Montana is proud to have a dedicated Indigenous Justice program and be a leader within the national family of ACLU affiliates.

• ACLU National Indigenous Justice page
• VIDEO: Maylinn Smith of the University of Montana Law School speaks about Johnson O'Malley, Title VII, Impact Aid and the Every Student Act
• VIDEO: Jim Taylor of the ACLU of Montana discusses Johnson O'Malley, Titles VI and VII, Impact Aid and the Every Student Succeeds Act