John Echohawk
John Echohawk, a member of the Pawnee Nation of Oklahoma, has worked more than 30 years for justice for Indian tribes. Born and raised in New Mexico, John has five siblings, and is one of three who have chosen to pursue careers as attorneys. In 1967 he graduated from the University of New Mexico and won a scholarship to attend the University of New Mexico School of Law in a federal program designed to increase the number of Indian lawyers. He was the first Indian graduate of the University of New Mexico School of Law in 1970. While a student, he co-founded the American Indian Law Students Association (now the National Native American Law Students Association) and began his legendary career of addressing the rights of American Indians.
John is a co-founder of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF), which was organized in 1970 to provide legal assistance to Native Americans on cases of national significance. It is a non-profit organization headquartered in Boulder, that hires experts in Indian law who provide counsel to tribes, Indian organizations, and individuals that lack such resources. Since 1977 John has served as NARF's Executive Director.
John Echohawk has been recognized as one of the 100 most influential lawyers in America by the National Law Journal since 1988 and has received numerous service awards and other recognition for his leadership in Indian Law. At any given time, John may be overseeing 50 different cases that fall within the purview of NARF's five priorities: preservation of tribal existence, protection of tribal natural resources, promotion of Native American human rights, accountability of governments to Native Americans, and development of Indian law. He is also responsible for raising the millions of dollars that are necessary to finance the operations of NARF annually.
John Echohawk serves on many boards and organizations that address his lifelong commitment to the rights of American Indians, including the American Indian Resources Institute, the Association on American Indian Affairs, the National Resources Defense Council, and the National Center for American Indian Enterprise Development.
Married for over 37 years, John and wife Kathryn have two children—a son who is a scientist at Los Alamos National Laboratory and a daughter who is a fundraiser for the American Indian College Fund. They are also proud grandparents of three.
To learn about more about Boulder's 'New Pioneers', check out our previous Award Winners page.
