NIEA History

Sparlin Norwood, Cherokee, a teacher at Central Junior High School in Bartlesville, OK, organized a National Conference of Indian teachers at the Warm Springs Indian Reservation in Oregon, as part of his NEA position.

Rosemary Christensen organized the National Conference on Indian Education as part of her work at the Midwest Regional Educational Laboratory (UMREL) in Minneapolis, MN. Many educators and administrators from the greater Minneapolis area assisted with the planning committee.

Jeannette Henry Costo and Rupert Costo organized the first Convocation of American Indian Scholars with funding from the Ford Foundation . The purpose: to bring together Indian teachers and administrators who were actively involved in the education of Native students in elementary, secondary schools, and university programs. The Costos invited Sparlin Norwood, William Demmert and Rosemary Christensen to speak at this conference. The leading organizers of this convocation decided to create a group that served the interests and needs of Native students and educators: The National Indian Education Association (NIEA). NIEA’s founding board members were Sparlin Norwood, Hershal (Ace) Shamant, Marigold Linton, Rosemary Christensen, John Winchester, Liz Whiteman, Dillon Platero, and William Demmert and Ned Hatathli. There were other participants that participated as observers and discussants including George Scott, Carl Downing, Sam Billison, Lee Antell and several others.

The National Indian Education Association (NIEA) was incorporated on August 21, 1970 (File number 1646) in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The original signatures of the incorporation papers were of Rosemary Christensen, Elgie Raymond and Will Antell. Rosemary Christensen and Gordon J. Amundson filed papers for incorporation.