2023 – GOVERNMENT

(1937-2000) Joe De La Cruz, Quinault Indian Nation, brought intelligence and charisma to the struggle to bring effective self-governance to his tribe, which he served as president for 22 years, and to Indians across the country. De La Cruz built a formidable record of accomplishments, tackling such tough, and long-standing issues as access to reservation lands by non-Natives, fisheries, logging management, and perhaps most notably, the status and role of Indian tribes within the American body politics. Under his leadership, the Quinaults hired their own juvenile counselors, police officers and foresters. He was one of the architects of the Centennial Accord, which delineates the principles of government-to-government relation between the tribes and the State of Washington.