Willie Hensley facts for kids

Quick facts for kids William "Willie" Hensley
Iġġiaġruk
Willie Hensley in 2022
Member of the Alaska House of Representatives from the 17th district
In office January 23, 1967 – January 11, 1971
Preceded by	Jacob A. Stalker
Succeeded by	Frank R. Ferguson
Member of the Alaska Senate from the K district (J district 1971–1973)
In office January 11, 1971 – January 20, 1975
Preceded by	Robert R. Blodgett
Succeeded by	Redistricted
Member of the Alaska Senate from the L district
In office January 20, 1987 – January 9, 1989
Preceded by	Frank R. Ferguson
Succeeded by	Albert P. Adams
Personal details
Born	(1941-06-17) 17 June 1941 (age 84) Kotzebue, Alaska, United States
Political party	Democratic
Spouse	Abigale Hensley
Children	4
Alma mater	George Washington University
Occupation	Politician, educator

William L. "Willie" Hensley (born June 17, 1941) is a well-known politician from Alaska. He is also known by his Iñupiaq name, Iġġiaġruk. Willie Hensley is famous for his important work helping Native Alaskan people gain rights to their land.

He played a big part in creating the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) in 1971. This was a huge moment for Native people in the U.S., giving them back a lot of land. After this, Hensley served in the Alaska House of Representatives and later in the Alaska Senate.

Beyond politics, Hensley helped start the Northwest Alaskan Natives Association Regional Corporation (NANA). He was its president for 20 years. He also helped create the Alaskan Natives Federation and Maniilaq, which helps Native tribes in Northwest Alaska.

Willie Hensley also wrote a book called Fifty Miles from Tomorrow: A Memoir of Alaska and the Real People. It tells the story of his childhood in rural Alaska and his journey as a leader for Native rights.

Early Life and Education

Willie Hensley was born in a small community in Northwest Alaska. This place is about 40 miles north of the Arctic Circle. His mother was an Inupiat Eskimo from Kotzebue. When he was young, his mother gave him and his sister to extended family living near the Noatak River.

Hensley grew up without electricity or running water. His family hunted and fished to survive the long, cold Arctic winters, which could last for nine months.

He went to an elementary school run by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. For high school, he attended Harrison-Chilhowee Baptist Academy in Seymour, Tennessee. A Baptist missionary helped him get into this boarding school. While there, Hensley was a good football player and was even voted class president.

After high school, Hensley studied at George Washington University in Washington D.C. He earned a degree in political science and economics. He also studied law at the University of Alaska, the University of New Mexico, and the University of California. In 1980, the University of Alaska gave him an honorary law degree.

Willie Hensley's Political Journey

Helping Native Alaskans with Land Rights

Willie Hensley became involved in the issue of Alaska Native land claims after writing an essay. His essay, "What Rights to Land Have the Alaska Native: The Primary Issue," talked about the history of Indigenous people and their land rights in the U.S.

This essay was shared at the first Alaskan Federation of Native convention, which Hensley helped lead. Hensley and other Native Alaskans worked very hard to convince the government in Washington D.C. to pass a new law. This led to the Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) in 1971.

This important act, signed by President Nixon, gave Alaskan Natives 44 million acres of land. It also provided a payment of $963 million. This land and money were shared among 12 regional Alaskan Native corporations, one of which Hensley helped create.

Serving in the Alaska House of Representatives

In 1966, when he was 25, Willie Hensley was elected to the Alaska House of Representatives. He served for ten years. He was re-elected to the House in 1987 for another two years. As a Democratic member, he focused on issues important to Native people.

Serving in the Alaska Senate

Hensley was first elected to the Alaska Senate in 1971 for a four-year term. During this time, he worked on committees dealing with water resources and Native American affairs.

He was appointed to the Alaskan Senate again on January 20, 1987, and served until 1988. He filled a seat that became open when Senator Frank Ferguson resigned. Hensley was a Democratic representative for Senate District L. He served on important committees like Finance, Rules, and State Affairs. He also worked as the Commissioner of Commerce under Alaskan Governor Tony Knowles.

1974 Alaskan Congressional Election

In 1974, Willie Hensley ran as the Democratic candidate for Alaska's only seat in the United States House of Representatives. He lost the election to the Republican candidate, Don Young.

Commissioner of Commerce

In 1994, Governor Tony Knowles chose Hensley to be the Commissioner of Commerce and Economic Development for Alaska. In this role, Hensley was in charge of things like tourism, international trade, seafood marketing, and insurance for the state.

Professional Career and Community Work

Alaska Federation of Natives

Willie Hensley was a main founder of the Alaska Federation of Natives (AFN) in 1966. He served in many roles, including president and executive director. This organization was first created to help Alaskan Natives use the ANCSA and set up the regional corporations.

Over time, the AFN grew to protect and speak for Native issues. Hensley led the first AFN meeting that created the land claims committee. This committee aimed to unite Native Alaskans to gain recognition for their land rights and become a strong political voice. In the 1960s, Hensley was very active in AFN's efforts to lobby in Washington D.C. for laws to recognize Native land rights in Alaska.

NANA Regional Corporation

Willie Hensley in 1973

Willie Hensley's work with the ANCSA led him to become the executive director of one of the regional corporations created by the Act. The ANCSA covered over 200 Native villages and areas in Alaska. Each area was given a regional corporation. These 12 corporations shared 70 percent of all money they received, based on how many Native Alaskans were in each region.

Hensley became the executive director of the Northwest Alaska Native Association (NANA). NANA's goals were to pursue land claims, improve Inupiat education, encourage political involvement, and make life better for Native people. Hensley's Inupiat background led NANA to create programs to keep the culture alive and solve social problems. NANA's symbol shows an Iñupiaq hunter moving towards a good future in the beautiful, sometimes harsh, Arctic world.

Hensley also led NANA Development Corp, which manages the business side of the Native corporations. He was a director for over 20 years before becoming its president.

Hensley also helped develop the Red Dog mine. This mine, located about 90 miles north of Kotzebue, is one of the world's largest zinc and lead mines. It produces 10 percent of the world's zinc. Hensley was a key person in the partnership between NANA, which owned the land, and Teck, the company that ran the mine.

Maniilaq Association

In 1966, Hensley helped found the Northwest Alaskan Natives Association (NANA). This was a non-profit group that worked to support Native issues. It provided economic, medical, and social help to Native communities. When the ANCSA passed, the for-profit NANA regional corporation was created. To avoid confusion, the non-profit NANA changed its name to Maniilaq.

Alyeska Pipeline Service Company

In 1997, Hensley joined the Alyeska Pipeline Service Company. This company runs and maintains the trans-Alaska Pipeline System. Hensley was appointed as the Manager of Federal Government Relations in Washington D.C. His job was to connect Alyeska staff with Native Alaskan communities.

Educator

Since 2011, Hensley has been a special visiting professor at the University of Alaska. He teaches in the Department of Business and Public Policy. He has also taught a class called "Alaska Policy Frontiers," which covers the history of Alaska and how it affected Native people today.

Personal Life

Willie Hensley married his wife, Abigale Hensley, in 1974. They have four children: Priscilla, Mollie, James, and Elizabeth. Willie and Abigale Hensley now live in Anchorage, Alaska.