Katie John facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Katie John
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| Born | 1915  |
| Died | May 31, 2013 (aged 97–98) Alaska Native Medical Center |
Katie John (born 1915, died 2013) was an important Alaska Native leader. She worked hard to protect the rights and culture of her people. Katie John was famous for a court case called "the Katie John case." This case helped Native Alaskans keep their traditional fishing rights. She also helped create an alphabet for the Ahtna language. This was a big step in saving the culture of the Ahtna Athabaskan people.
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About Katie John's Life
Katie John was born in 1915. Her parents were Chief Charley Sanford and Sarah Sanford. She spent most of her life in the Wrangell Mountains in Alaska. Her family moved with the seasons between Tanada Lake and the village of Batzulnetas.
Learning Languages
Katie grew up hearing many different Athabascan languages. Her father spoke one dialect, and her mother spoke another. Katie mainly spoke the Upper Ahtna dialect. She learned English when she was 14 years old. This was when she worked at a mine in Nabesna, Alaska.
Family Life
At age 16, Katie married Fred John, Sr. He was a traditional chief from Mentasta. They raised 14 children and six foster children together. In 1932, their family moved to Mentasta.
Katie John taught the Ahtna Athabascan language in local schools. In the late 1970s, she helped create the first alphabet for the language. Before this, it had no written form. Later, she worked on the first Ahtna Noun Dictionary. This book helped teach and save the language.
Katie John passed away on May 31, 2013. She was 97 or 98 years old. She died at the Alaska Native Medical Center in Anchorage.
Fighting for Fishing Rights
In the 1960s, the state of Alaska stopped traditional fishing methods. This meant people could no longer use nets or fishwheels. These tools were important for Native Alaskans to catch fish for food.
In 1984, Katie John and Doris Charles asked for permits to fish again. They wanted to fish in the Native village of Batzulnetas. Their request was denied. This started a long legal battle in the courts.
The Katie John Case
The lawsuit began in 1985. It was known as "the Katie John case" across Alaska. The Native American Rights Fund helped Katie John and others with their case.
In 1994, Katie John and the other people won their case. The court decided that rural and Alaska Native residents should have priority. They could use federal waters in Alaska for traditional fishing. This ruling has been upheld many times.
Her Lasting Impact
Katie John received an honorary law degree in 2011. This was from the University of Alaska Fairbanks.
In 2013, the Alaska Federation of Natives honored her. They renamed their Hunter and Gatherers Award to the Katie John Hunter-Fisher Award. This award celebrates Alaska Natives who protect traditional hunting, trapping, and sharing. It honors those who preserve the Native way of life.
In 2019, Alaska Senate Bill 78 became law. This law made May 31 "Katie John Day."
In 2020, USA Today named Katie John one of the ten most important women in Alaska's history. This was part of their "Women of the Century" series.
See also
