Beloved Leader and Dedicated Native American Advocate Ernie Stevens Sr., (Oneida) Walks On

Ernie L Stevens Sr., a distinguished member of the Oneida Nation and dedicated advocate for Indian Country, died Saturday, June 1, 2024, in Anna John Resident Centered Care Community facility in Oneida, Wisconsin. He was 94.

Ernie L Stevens Sr.

His extensive career was marked by numerous leadership roles, reflecting his unwavering dedication to the advocacy of sovereignty, self-determination, self-governance, and Native rights. He held a bachelor's degree in Business Economics and a Community Fellows Program certification from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). His influence was felt across Indian Country as he served in various roles, including as the executive director of the Los Angeles Indian Center, the Institute for Community Anti-Poverty Corporation, the Inter-Tribal Council of California, the Indian Action Project in Arizona, and the American Indian Policy Review Commission. Stevens was the First Vice President of the National Congress of American Indians and the first Staff Director to the Senate Select Committee on Indian Affairs. His work with the Bureau of Indian Affairs was instrumental in transitioning Indian Policy from an era of termination to tribal self-determination.

A U.S. Marine Corps combat veteran of the Korean War, Stevens was honored with the Korean Unit citation and the Korean Service medal with three battle stars. His contributions were recognized with the Leon Grant Spirit of the Community Award by the Phoenix Indian Center in 2017, and he was inducted into the National Native American Hall of Fame in 2021.

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