A project of the Institute for Tribal Government, Portland State University, and the Tribal Leadership Forum.

Kay Reid is the oral historian and main curriculum writer for this compelling new offering in Native American Studies. She has interviewed 42 great Indian leaders from around the United States.

"In 2001 the Board of the Institute for Tribal Government, Portland State University, gave itself a new task: to collect the oral histories of Native American contemporary leaders. I had known Kay Reid and admired her work for some years. I decided to hire her for this project, although I was concerned that she had no previous experience with Native people. Kay proved that she was very capable of the massive task ahead. Interviewees I checked with let me know they had been very comfortable with her style and her sensitivity. Given the history of exploitation of Native experts by some research groups, this is indeed a fine compliment for Kay. Over 40 interviews have been videoed and the college-level curriculum has been designed and taught at multiple colleges. Kay has been vital in the curriculum development and teaching of the college course. In addition, she has organized a teacher advisory group of Natives and non-Natives, and has almost completed a high school curriculum. With a very small budget Kay Reid has worked miracles and made possible the documentation of historic Native experience."

—Elizabeth Furse, Founder of the Institute for Tribal Government and former Congresswoman, (Oregon, Third District)

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