Mark Trahant facts for kids

Mark Trahant is a well-known journalist and editor. He helped start Indian Country Today (now ICT), which is a news organization focused on Indigenous (Native American) news. He is a member of the Shoshone-Bannock Tribes in Idaho.

Mark Trahant's Career in Journalism

Early Work and Leadership Roles

Mark Trahant has worked in many important roles in journalism. He was a professor of journalism at the University of North Dakota. He also led the Native American Journalists Association as its president.

He was the editor of the editorial page for the Seattle Post-Intelligencer newspaper. In this role, he guided a team of writers and editors. He also served as the chairman and CEO of the Maynard Institute for Journalism Education.

Trahant has written columns for The Seattle Times. He was also the publisher of the Moscow-Pullman Daily News. He worked as an executive news editor at The Salt Lake Tribune and as a reporter for the Arizona Republic. He also worked for several tribal newspapers.

Reporting and Important Questions

Trahant was a reporter for the PBS TV series Frontline. He worked on a documentary called "The Silence."

At a big journalism conference in 2004, he asked then-President George W. Bush about the meaning of tribal sovereignty. Tribal sovereignty means that Native American tribes have the right to govern themselves. President Bush replied that it means tribes are seen as their own governing groups.

Books by Mark Trahant

Mark Trahant has written several books. In 1996, he wrote Pictures of Our Nobler Selves. This book shares the history of how American Indians have contributed to journalism.

He also contributed to an exhibit called The Whole Salmon in 2003. In 2006, he wrote a chapter for Lewis and Clark Through Indian Eyes. This book was a collection of writings edited by Alvin M. Josephy Jr..

His book The Last Great Battle of the Indian Wars came out in 2010. It talks about a time when the U.S. government tried to end its special relationship with Native American tribes. It also discusses how Native Americans then worked to gain more control over their own affairs.

Awards and Recognitions

Mark Trahant has received many honors for his work. He was a finalist for the 1988 Pulitzer Prize for National Reporting. This is a very important award for journalists. He was recognized for a series of articles about federal Indian policy.

He has also won awards like Best Columnist from the Native American Journalists Association. The Society of Professional Journalists also gave him this award. He received a Ruhl Fellowship and shared the Heywood Broun Award.

In 2004 and 2005, Trahant was a juror for the Pulitzer Prize. This means he helped choose the winners of this prestigious award.

Personal Life

Trahant lives in Phoenix, Arizona. He is married to Jaynie Parrish.