Sadie Neakok facts for kids

Sadie Neakok (born March 16, 1916 – died June 13, 2004), also known as Tagiagiña, was a very important leader in Alaska. She made history by becoming the first female judge, called a magistrate, in Alaska. She worked in Utqiaġvik, Alaska, which is in the northern part of the state.

Her Early Life

Sadie's father, Charles D. Brower, was a government official in the Alaska territory. Her mother, Ahsiangatok (Asiaŋŋataq), was Iñupiaq from the Barrow area. Sadie's father first moved to Alaska to work with whales. He was one of the first white settlers there.

Sadie was born in 1916. She was one of ten children. When she was 14, she went to high school in San Francisco, California. After that, she studied at the University of Alaska. After finishing college, she worked in a hospital. Later, she became a teacher at a school run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. She also worked as a social worker, helping people in her community.

In 1940, Sadie married Nathaniel Neakok. He was a captain of a whaling boat and also worked at the Barrow Airport. They had 13 children together and also cared for several foster children. In 1989, they had been married for over 50 years. Their oldest son, Bill, was the mayor of Utqiaġvik (then called Barrow) in the 1970s.

In 2009, Sadie Neakok was honored by being added to the Alaska Women's Hall of Fame. She was also the first woman elder in her Presbyterian church.

Becoming a Judge

Sadie became a magistrate in Alaska's Second Judicial District when Alaska became a state in 1958. A magistrate is a type of judge who handles many different kinds of cases. She ran her court using both English and the Iñupiaq languages. She had to work hard to make sure cases could be heard in the local language. This was important for people who did not speak English.

Eben Hopson, another important leader, encouraged her to take the judge position. Before a proper courthouse was built, Sadie would even hear cases right in her own kitchen!

Standing Up for Her People

Sadie Neakok was half Iñupiaq. She became a strong supporter for Inuit people in Alaska and in Washington D.C. When she was a child, she saw unfair treatment against Native people at the local Naval base. This inspired her to defend them. As an adult, she served on the tribal council, helping to make decisions for her community.

In 1961, she helped organize an event called The Barrow Duck-In. This was a protest against a hunting law that she felt was unfair.

See also

• List of first women lawyers and judges in Alaska