Rose Charlie facts for kids

Elizabeth Rose Charlie (born May 9, 1930) is a respected leader from the Sts'Ailes First Nation. She has worked for many years to improve life for Indigenous peoples in Canada. She is known as a chief and a strong voice for her community.

Early Life and Beginnings

Elizabeth Rose Charlie was born on the Chehalis reserve in British Columbia. When she was 11, her family moved to Bainbridge Island in Washington state. In 1949, she married and returned to the Chehalis reserve.

Leading the Way for Indigenous Rights

Rose Charlie became a key figure in the fight for Indigenous rights. She helped create important groups that worked for fairness and change.

Starting Homemakers Clubs

In 1950, Rose Charlie joined the first Indian Homemakers Club in Chehalis, BC. These clubs started as places for women to share skills like cooking and sewing. However, many clubs soon became more involved in political issues. Rose Charlie later led the Vancouver chapter.

Forming the Indian Homemakers' Association

When government funding for the clubs stopped, Rose Charlie helped bring them together. In May 1969, many clubs merged to form the Indian Homemakers' Association (IHA) of British Columbia. Rose Charlie became its first president and served for 28 years.

The IHA also started a monthly newsletter called "Indigenous Voice." This became an important way for Indigenous peoples in British Columbia to share their news and stories.

Helping Create National Groups

The strength of the IHA allowed Rose Charlie to help start other big organizations. She contributed to the creation of the National Indian Brotherhood in 1968. This group is now known as the Assembly of First Nations. She also helped form the B.C. Association of Non-Status Indians in the same year.

Standing Up Against the White Paper

In 1969, the Canadian government proposed a plan called the 1969 White Paper. This plan would have removed special rights for Indigenous peoples. Rose Charlie and the IHA strongly opposed it.

They organized two "moccasin walks" to protest the plan. These walks led to a large meeting of chiefs. This gathering helped create the Union of BC Indian Chiefs in November 1969. Rose Charlie became a member of this Union's leadership team and was later named a Grand Chief.

Fighting for Women's Rights

Rose Charlie also worked hard for Indigenous women's rights. In 1977, she helped establish the National Association of Indian Rights for Indian Women. She also helped create the Native Women's Association of Canada.

For many years, Rose Charlie fought against a part of the Indian Act. This rule, called section 12(1)(b), took away an Indigenous woman's official status if she married a man who did not have that status. Her efforts, along with other women like Mary Two-Axe Early, led to a new law called Bill C-31 in 1985. This law changed the Indian Act and helped many women regain their status.

Awards and Honors

Rose Charlie has received many awards for her important work:

• In 1989, she received an honorary doctorate from the University of British Columbia.
• In 1994, she was given the Governor General's Award in Commemoration of the Persons Case. This award celebrates people who have worked for equality.
• In 2003, she was named to the Order of British Columbia. This is one of the highest honors in the province.
• In 2013, she received a Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal.