Leroy Little Bear facts for kids

Leroy Little Bear is a respected leader from the Blackfoot people. He is a professor and researcher who has done a lot for First Nations education, rights, and culture. He helped create Canada's first Native American Studies Department. For his important work, he has received many awards, including the Officer of the Order of Canada and the Alberta Order of Excellence.

Early Life and Education

Leroy Little Bear grew up on the Kainai First Nation in Alberta, Canada. He was one of seven children in his family. He went to a residential school located on his reserve.

He was one of the first First Nations people to graduate from the University of Lethbridge. He earned his first degree in 1971. Later, he studied law and received a law degree from the University of Utah in 1975.

Making a Difference in His Career

Leroy Little Bear was a key person in starting the Native American Studies Department at the University of Lethbridge. He led this department for 21 years. He also helped create the Native American Program at Harvard University.

With his training in law, Mr. Little Bear has worked hard to support First Nations' rights. He helped with important changes to Canada's laws. He advised First Nations leaders when Canada's main law, the British North America Act, was being transferred from British to Canadian control.

He also helped negotiate Section 35 of the Canadian Constitution. This section officially recognizes and protects Indigenous rights. In 1977, his paper, A Native Concept of Title, was used in the Supreme Court of Canada. This made him the first Indigenous person to be cited in the Supreme Court. He also wrote the Kainaisini, which is the law for the Blood Tribe, in 1984. In 2000, he helped write the declaration to officially bring back the Blackfoot Confederacy.

Mr. Little Bear strongly believes in supporting Indigenous ways of thinking in education. He thinks that understanding different worldviews is important for truth and healing in Canada. He once said that changing how we think can happen by changing our language.

He retired from the University of Lethbridge in 1997. However, he continues to be very active in many areas. He writes many articles and books about self-governance and the relationship between the Canadian government and First Nations. He is also part of a group that brings Indigenous ideas to environmental work. This group looks at how things like the oil industry affect the land from an Indigenous point of view.

Working for Change and Rights

Dr. Little Bear has worked for Indigenous rights both in Canada and around the world. He worked with the United Nations to help create a group focused on Indigenous peoples. This group helped write the first version of the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples (UNDRIP). This declaration outlines the rights of Indigenous peoples worldwide.

Mr. Little Bear has also played a big part in recognizing the importance of the buffalo to First Nations across North America. He helped start and write the Buffalo Treaty. This treaty is an agreement between 13 First Nations in North America to bring buffalo back to their lands. He is also the founder and president of the International Buffalo Relations Institute.

Awards and Special Recognition

• Mr. Little Bear has received special honorary doctorates from the University of Northern British Columbia and the University of Lethbridge.
• He holds the keys to the city of Lethbridge, which is a special honor.
• He received the University of Lethbridge Distinguished Alumnus of the Year Award in 2003.
• He won the National Aboriginal Achievement Award for Education in 2003.