BIA head: Future is bright and hopeful for Native Americans

Michael Black, director of the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs, will return to his alma mater today to give the commencement speech at the South Dakota School of Mines & Technology graduation ceremony.

Black graduated from the School of Mines in 1986 with a degree in Mechanical Engineering and is a member of the Oglala Sioux Tribe. In his current post, he oversees a federal agency tasked with aiding more than 500 recognized tribes with 1.9 million Native American residents across the country. The BIA, among other duties, is responsible for providing tribal nations with education, law enforcement and housing.

http://rapidcityjournal.com/news/local/bia-head-future-is-bright-and-hopeful-for-native-americans/article_4e4706e0-6d42-5e70-b841-5fd6cb2ca85a.html