Mary Dann and Carrie Dann facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
The Dann Sisters
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Carrie (left) and Mary Dann, 1979
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| Born | January 2, 1923 (Mary) 1932 (Carrie) United States
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| Died | April 22, 2005 (aged 82) (Mary) January 2, 2021 (aged 88–89) (Carrie) |
| Nationality | Western Shoshone Native American |
| Occupation | Ranching, cultural and spiritual rights, and land rights activists. |
| Known for | US Supreme Court case U.S. v. Dann |
| Awards | Right Livelihood Award |
The Dann Sisters, Mary Dann (1923–2005) and Carrie Dann (1932–2021), were Western Shoshone elders. They were spiritual leaders, ranchers, and activists. They fought for their tribe's cultural, spiritual, and land rights. Their challenge against the US government over their traditional land even reached the United States Supreme Court. This important case was called U.S. v. Dann.
In 1993, the Dann sisters won the Right Livelihood Award. This award recognized their "courage and perseverance" in standing up for indigenous people's land rights. A film called American Outrage (2008) was made about their leadership. It showed their long fight with the government over Western Shoshone territory.
Contents
The Fight for Land Rights
Treaty Promises and Broken Agreements
In 1863, during the American Civil War, the US government made a peace agreement. It was called the Treaty of Ruby Valley with the Western Shoshone people. This treaty allowed US citizens to travel safely through Shoshone land. It also permitted mining for gold and building railroads. The US needed the gold to help pay for the war.
The treaty described the Western Shoshone territory. It covered a large part of what is now Nevada and parts of four other states. The treaty said the Shoshone would never have to give up their land. The US also promised to pay the Shoshone $5,000 every year for 20 years. But the US only made the first payment.
Land Taken by the Government
Over many years, the US government took much of the Western Shoshone land. This happened mostly through new laws passed by Congress. Today, federal agencies manage most of this land. These include the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) and the Department of Energy (DOE).
The DOE has used some of this land for nuclear testing. They have set off nearly 1,000 bombs on this territory. This is more than anywhere else in the world.
Legal Battles for Shoshone Land
Decades ago, the Western Shoshone tribe sued the US government. They wanted to get their land back. In 1962, a court said the Shoshone had lost control of their land. This was because settlers had moved onto it. The court also said the Shoshone were not owed anything from the government.
Later, in 1979, another group offered the Western Shoshone a settlement. They offered $26 million for their land claim. The US Supreme Court later ruled in 1985 that this money meant the Shoshone's land claims were over.
However, the Shoshone people refused to take the money. They wanted the US to follow the 1863 treaty. Eighty percent of the Shoshone who voted said no to the money. They believed taking the money would mean giving up their land forever.
The Dann Sisters' Protest
Since 1973, the Dann sisters protested by continuing to ranch. They refused to pay fees to the BLM. These fees were for grazing their cattle outside their ranch. They believed this land was still Shoshone territory. They argued that the US had taken the land illegally. They said the US had not followed its own treaty.
In 1998, the BLM tried to remove hundreds of their cows and horses. The Dann sisters then asked the United Nations for help. They asked the UN Committee on the Elimination of Racial Discrimination to act quickly. They were working to get millions of acres of land back. This land in Nevada and nearby states originally belonged to the Western Shoshone tribe.
The Dann sisters convinced the UN that their case was important. The UN then told the US government to stop all actions against the Western Shoshone people. However, the US government mostly ignored this order.
Mary Dann
Mary Dann (January 2, 1923 – April 22, 2005) was a Western Shoshone Native American activist. She passed away from an accident on her ranch. This happened in Crescent Valley, central Nevada, in 2005.
Carrie Dann
Carrie Dann (1932 – January 1, 2021) was a Western Shoshone spiritual elder and activist. She fought for land and tribal rights.
In 2007, Carrie Dann was arrested with other activists. They were protesting at the Nevada Test Site. She continued to work to stop nuclear testing and programs there.
In 2008, Carrie Dann and other groups sued a mining company. They wanted to stop a large gold mining project in Nevada. This project was planned for Mt. Tenabo. The Western Shoshone consider this mountain to be sacred land. The groups were worried about the project's impact on water, air, and ground quality.
Documentary Films About the Dann Sisters
- Newe Segobia is Not for Sale (1993): This film shows the Dann sisters facing government officers. The officers wanted to take their livestock. The film also shows how the Danns proved the US had broken its treaties.
- American Outrage (2008): This documentary is about the Dann sisters' long fight. It shows their struggle against the US government. They fought for the right to graze their horses on tribal land. The film follows their case as it went to the US Supreme Court and the United Nations.
