Tillie Hardwick facts for kids

Tillie Hardwick (born August 1, 1924 – died July 15, 1999) was a Pomo Indian woman. She played a very important role in stopping a U.S. government policy that was taking away land from Native American communities in California. This policy was called the Rancheria termination policy.

Early Life and Challenges

Tillie Myers was born on August 1, 1924. Her parents were Joe Myers and Elisabeth Posh. She grew up in Mendocino County, California, on the Pinoleville Indian Rancheria. This community was just north of Ukiah, California. Tillie's family had lived in the Clear Lake area for many generations. She remembered stories from her mother and aunt about her grandparents. These stories were about an event called the Bloody Island Massacre in 1850.

In 1958, the U.S. Congress passed a law. This law aimed to end the special status of Native American tribal lands. It was part of a bigger plan called the Indian termination policy. Under this policy, tribal members were told they would get private land. They were also promised improvements like sewers, running water, new streets, and fire hydrants. The government also said it would help Native Americans get education and job training.

Tillie and other tribal members believed they had to agree to this plan. They were not ready for the new taxes they would have to pay on their private lands. The government also failed to provide promised plumbing for Tillie's home. When she tried to get a loan to fix her house, she couldn't. No company would say she truly owned the land in a way that allowed her to sell or borrow against it easily.

Tillie's son, Joe, was later denied money for his education. This happened because the government had not kept its promises to the tribe. Tillie then decided to take action.

Fighting for Tribal Rights

In 1979, Tillie Hardwick filed a lawsuit. She argued that the government's termination of her tribe's status was illegal. This was because the promised improvements had not been made. She got help from California Indian Legal Services. They decided to make her case a "class action" lawsuit. This meant it would represent many people facing the same problem.

On July 19, 1983, a U.S. District Court made an important decision. It restored the official status of 17 California rancherias. This meant these Native American communities were once again recognized by the federal government.

The United States government agreed to recognize these tribes again. They would have the same status they had before the termination policy. The government also agreed that tribal members could change their private lands back to "trust status." This means the land would be held by the U.S. government for the benefit of the tribe. The first Hardwick court decision helped make sure that the right people were forming these re-organized tribal governments.

In 1986, the Hardwick lawsuit was updated. This part is often called "Hardwick II." More tribes that had re-formed their governments joined the lawsuit. They also removed some counties from the lawsuit that had already settled their issues with the tribes. Decisions made in 1986 and 1987 set the boundaries for different rancherias. They also settled tax disagreements with some California counties.

Family Life

Tillie Hardwick was a mother of four children. She had three sons: Robert Hopper, who passed away before her; Joseph A. Myers, who became a lawyer and started the National Indian Justice Center; and Larry Myers, who worked for the California Native American Heritage Commission for many years. She also had one daughter, Joyce A. Britton.

Tillie Hardwick's Legacy

Because Tillie Hardwick's lawsuit was so successful, other tribes in California began to fight for their own recognition. Before her case, only six tribes had managed to reverse their termination status. For example, the Robinson Rancheria was restored in 1977. The Hopland Rancheria was restored in 1978.

Each of those earlier decisions only helped one reservation. The Hardwick decision was different. It restored more terminated tribes than any other single court case in California.

The impact of Tillie Hardwick's lawsuit is huge. Native American people whose tribes were restored because of her class-action lawsuit are still sometimes called "Hardwick Indians." Her court case has been used as a legal example for many other tribal lawsuits. The rules the Bureau of Indian Affairs made to confirm tribal members have been used in other states too. The land boundaries set in the 1987 Hardwick II decision have also been important for Native American gambling businesses in California. This is because of a law called the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (IGRA).