Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Library announces Dr. La Nada War Jack as Author of the Month

FORT HALL — The Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Library is honored to announce Dr. LaNada War Jack as its Author of the Month, recognizing her lifetime of leadership, scholarship, and advocacy for Native rights and self-determination.

Dr. War Jack, an enrolled member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes and a 2023 inductee into the National Native American Hall of Fame, is a nationally recognized Indigenous leader, scholar, and activist. She played a central role in the historic 1969 peaceful occupation of Alcatraz Island—an action that helped usher in the modern Self-Determination Era and reverse federal termination policies affecting Native nations. Her work has contributed to the recovery of millions of acres of land and the advancement of government-funded policies benefiting tribes nationwide.

As part of the Author of the Month celebration, Dr. War Jack will be the main speaker at a public event hosted by the Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Library (located inside the Old Casino) on Friday, January 23, at 6 p.m., at the Tribal Library, in the Old Casino. Admission is free, and light snacks will be provided.

Dr. War Jack is the author of Native Resistance: An Intergenerational Fight for Survival and Life, a powerful work that documents the enduring struggle, resilience, and leadership of Native peoples while reflecting her lifelong dedication to justice, education, and the empowerment of future generations. The book draws from lived experience, history, and intergenerational memory to illuminate the ongoing fight for Indigenous rights.

In addition to her activism, Dr. War Jack has an extensive academic and professional background. She earned an Independent Major in Native American Law & Politics at the University of California, Berkeley, where she participated in the Third World Strike that established the first Ethnic Studies Program in the UC system. She later completed a Master’s degree in Public Administration and a Doctorate of Arts in Political Science at Idaho State University. Dr. War Jack has served as an elected councilwoman for her tribes, held executive leadership roles, taught Native American history, law, and politics at multiple universities, and currently serves as President of Indigenous Visions Network.

The Shoshone-Bannock Tribal Library invites community members, students, and the public to attend this special Author of the Month event to hear directly from Dr. LaNada War Jack and engage with her work and legacy.