''ICT'' (formerly known as ''Indian Country Today'') is a

nonprofit A nonprofit organization (NPO), also known as a nonbusiness entity, nonprofit institution, not-for-profit organization, or simply a nonprofit, is a non-governmental (private) legal entity organized and operated for a collective, public, or so ...

multimedia Multimedia is a form of communication that uses a combination of different content forms, such as Text (literary theory), writing, Sound, audio, images, animations, or video, into a single presentation. T ...

news platform that covers the Indigenous world, with a particular focus on American Indian,

Alaska Native Alaska Natives (also known as Native Alaskans, Alaskan Indians, or Indigenous Alaskans) are the Indigenous peoples of the Americas, Indigenous peoples of Alaska that encompass a diverse arena of cultural and linguistic groups, including the I ...

and

First Nations First nations are indigenous settlers or bands. First Nations, first nations, or first peoples may also refer to: Indigenous groups *List of Indigenous peoples *First Nations in Canada, Indigenous peoples of Canada who are neither Inuit nor Mé ...

communities across

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. Founded in 1981 as the weekly print

newspaper A newspaper is a Periodical literature, periodical publication containing written News, information about current events and is often typed in black ink with a white or gray background. Newspapers can cover a wide variety of fields such as poli ...

''Lakota Times'', the publication's name changed in 1992 to ''Indian Country Today''. After periods of ownership by the Oneida Indian Nation of New York and the National Congress of American Indians, ''ICT'' has been under the ownership of IndiJ Public Media since March 2021.

History

The ''Lakota Times'' was founded in 1981 by journalist Tim Giago (

Oglala Lakota The Oglala (pronounced , meaning 'to scatter one's own' in Lakota language, Lakota) are one of the seven subtribes of the Lakota people who, along with the Dakota people, Dakota, make up the Sioux, Očhéthi Šakówiŋ (Seven Council Fires). A ...

). The newspaper was based on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation and operated independently of tribal government. In 1989 the newspaper's offices moved to

Rapid City, South Dakota Rapid City is the county seat of Pennington County, South Dakota, United States. It is located on the eastern slope of the Black Hills in western South Dakota and was named after Rapid Creek (South Dakota), Rapid Creek, where the settlement deve ...

, and in 1992 Giago changed the publication's name to ''Indian Country Today''. In 1998, Giago sold ''Indian Country Today'' to Standing Stone Media Inc., an enterprise of the Oneida Indian Nation of New York, and the newspaper's headquarters moved to Central New York. In 2011, operations moved to

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

and ''Indian Country Today'' became ''Indian Country Today Media Network''. In 2013, the printed newspaper ceased publication, replaced by digital-first online reporting and a weekly news magazine available online and in print. On September 4, 2017, publication of new content was temporarily suspended to explore alternative

business model A business model describes how a Company, business organization creates, delivers, and captures value creation, value,''Business Model Generation'', Alexander Osterwalder, Yves Pigneur, Alan Smith, and 470 practitioners from 45 countries, self-pub ...

s. In October 2017, the Oneida Indian Nation donated ''Indian Country Today'' to the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI). On February 28, 2018, after a hiatus during the transfer of ownership to NCAI, ''Indian Country Today'' announced its return. The site resumed regular publication, with Mark Trahant ( Shoshone-Bannock) as editor and Vincent Schilling ( Akwesasne Mohawk) as associate editor. In February 2020, the San Manuel Band of Mission Indians awarded a grant of $1 million to ''Indian Country Today'' and became founding partner for a national news broadcast about American Indian and

issues. In March, Katie Oyan (Oglala Lakota) was announced as the publication's first

managing editor A managing editor (ME) is a senior member of a publication's management team. Typically, the managing editor reports directly to the editor-in-chief and oversees all aspects of the publication. United States In the United States, a managing edi ...

. She was on loan from the

Associated Press The Associated Press (AP) is an American not-for-profit organization, not-for-profit news agency headquartered in New York City. Founded in 1846, it operates as a cooperative, unincorporated association, and produces news reports that are dist ...

, and upon returning to the AP in February 2021 she was succeeded by Jourdan Bennett-Begaye ( Diné), who had served as ''Indian Country Today''s Washington, D.C. editor and, later, assistant managing editor. On March 26, 2021, ownership of ''Indian Country Today'' was transferred from NCAI to an Arizona

501(c)(3) organization A 501(c)(3) organization is a United States corporation, Trust (business), trust, unincorporated association or other type of organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of Title 26 of the United States Code. It is one of ...

, IndiJ Public Media, led by Karen Michel (

Ho-Chunk The Ho-Chunk, also known as Hocąk, Hoocągra, or Winnebago are a Siouan languages, Siouan-speaking Native Americans in the United States, Native American people whose historic territory includes parts of Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, and Illinois ...

). In January 2022, Jourdan Bennett-Begaye assumed the role of executive editor, taking over from Mark Trahant. On June 23, 2022, ''Indian Country Today'' was renamed to ''ICT''.

Notable stories

''ICT'' carries original news reporting on issues of interest to Native Americans and other readers interested in

Indian country Indian country is any of the self-governing Native American or American Indian communities throughout the United States. Colloquially, this refers to lands governed by federally recognized tribes and state recognized tribes. The concept of tri ...

. * In 2005, an ''Indian Country Today'' editorial, "

Hurricane Katrina Hurricane Katrina was a powerful, devastating and historic tropical cyclone that caused 1,392 fatalities and damages estimated at $125 billion in late August 2005, particularly in the city of New Orleans and its surrounding area. ...

Uncovers a Tale of Two Americas," was quoted by South African

President President most commonly refers to: *President (corporate title) * President (education), a leader of a college or university *President (government title) President may also refer to: Arts and entertainment Film and television *'' Præsident ...

Thabo Mbeki Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki (; born 18 June 1942) is a South African politician who served as the 2nd democratic president of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008, when he resigned at the request of his party, the African National Cong ...

in a letter to the '' ANC Today'', published by the

African National Congress The African National Congress (ANC) is a political party in South Africa. It originated as a liberation movement known for its opposition to apartheid and has governed the country since 1994, when the 1994 South African general election, fir ...

. * ''Indian Country Today'' extensively covered the '' Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl'' case, also known as the 2013

Supreme Court of the United States The Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS) is the highest court in the federal judiciary of the United States. It has ultimate appellate jurisdiction over all Federal tribunals in the United States, U.S. federal court cases, and over Stat ...

"Baby Veronica" case, in which an Oklahoma father, a citizen of the

Cherokee Nation The Cherokee Nation ( or ) is the largest of three list of federally recognized tribes, federally recognized tribes of Cherokees in the United States. It includes people descended from members of the Cherokee Nation (1794–1907), Old Cheroke ...

, sought custody of his daughter Veronica, who was being adopted by a non-Native couple. The coverage included a guest editorial by the president of the Charleston, South Carolina, branch of the

National Association for the Advancement of Colored People The National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) is an American civil rights organization formed in 1909 as an interracial endeavor to advance justice for African Americans by a group including W. E. B. Du&nbs ...

. * On June 5, 2014, President

Barack Obama Barack Hussein Obama II (born August 4, 1961) is an American politician who was the 44th president of the United States from 2009 to 2017. A member of the Democratic Party, he was the first African American president in American history. O ...

wrote a column for ''Indian Country Today'' titled "On My Upcoming Trip to Indian Country", describing how he and his wife Michelle planned to visit the

Standing Rock Sioux Reservation The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe of North & South Dakota controls the Standing Rock Reservation (), which straddles the border between North and South Dakota in the United States, and is inhabited by ethnic " Hunkpapa and Sihasapa bands of Lak ...

North Dakota North Dakota ( ) is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota people, Dakota and Sioux peoples. It is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minneso ...

that month. * In December 2014, ''Indian Country Today'' published a series of articles on the controversial 2015 National Defense Authorization Act "land swap" provision that would give land sacred to the San Carlos Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona to Resolution Copper Mine CM a joint venture owned by Rio Tinto and BHP. More than 104,000 people had signed a petition to President Obama, "We the People , Stop Apache Land Grab" to which the

White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. Located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest (Washington, D.C.), NW in Washington, D.C., it has served as the residence of every U.S. president ...

gave an official response. * ''Indian Country Today'' has extensively covered the Native American mascot controversy and the use of Native American images in names and sports. The publication has featured numerous stories and editorials on the Washington Redskins name controversy and Washington NFL team owner Dan Snyder. * Since before 2016, ''ICT'' reported on issues related to the Dakota Access Pipeline project, which proposed to put an oil pipeline extending through four states below the

Missouri River The Missouri River is a river in the Central United States, Central and Mountain states, Mountain West regions of the United States. The nation's longest, it rises in the eastern Centennial Mountains of the Bitterroot Range of the Rocky Moun ...

. The Standing Rock Sioux objected to the Army Corps of Engineers' acceptance of less than a full Environmental Impact Statement, saying the project threatened their water quality and would destroy ancient artifacts and burial grounds. Standing Rock Sioux sought an injunction to halt construction of the pipeline. The case attracted national and international attention and coverage. After a federal court refused the injunction, the Department of Justice, Department of Interior and Army Corps of Engineers entered the case at the national level, halting construction temporarily. Standing Rock Sioux protesters at the site were joined by activists from hundreds of other Tribes and supporters, including indigenous peoples from South America. ''ICT'' published its first "single-subject, event-driven edition in tshistory" in October 2016, based on the reporting done and exploring the many complex issues related to the project and protests.

Television and broadcasting

*On July 27, 2018, ''Indian Country Today'' began posting their ''Video News Report'' on YouTube, hosted by associate editor Vincent Schilling. *On November 5, 2018, ''Indian Country Today'' teamed with First Nations Experience and Native Voice One in broadcasting and streaming the first national news report focused on Native American candidates from coast to coast. A team of 18 correspondents reported from sites across the United States, including Alaska and Hawaii. The election desk was anchored by Mark Trahant, editor of ''Indian Country Today.'' * Indian Country Today began broadcasting in March 2020 a 30-minute news program titled ''ICT Newscast''. It is now carried by PBS stations, presented by Arizona PBS, and produced in Studio A of the Walter Cronkite School of Journalism and Mass Communication at

Arizona State University Arizona State University (Arizona State or ASU) is a public university, public research university in Tempe, Arizona, United States. Founded in 1885 as Territorial Normal School by the 13th Arizona Territorial Legislature, the university is o ...

. The ''ICT Newscast'' was anchored from 2020 to November 1, 2021, by Patty Talahongva (

Hopi The Hopi are Native Americans who primarily live in northeastern Arizona. The majority are enrolled in the Hopi Tribe of Arizona and live on the Hopi Reservation in northeastern Arizona; however, some Hopi people are enrolled in the Colorado ...

), by Mark Trahant from November 2–3, 2021, and by Aliyah Chavez ( Kewa Pueblo) since November 4, 2021.

Awards

''ICT'' has won numerous awards at the Native American Journalists Association. In 2014, the publication earned 17 awards, including Best Digital Publication for its 12-page digital newsletter and first place for General Excellence. In 2013, ICTMN won 11 awards at the conference.

Notable writers, editors, contributors

Some current and former ''Indian Country Today'' staff writers and contributors include: * Suzette Brewer (

), former public affairs officer for the

National Museum of the American Indian The National Museum of the American Indian is a museum in the United States devoted to the culture of the Indigenous peoples of the Americas. It is part of the Smithsonian Institution group of museums and research centers. The museum has three ...

. She received recognition for her in-depth coverage of the "Baby Veronica" case and other stories related to the

Indian Child Welfare Act The Indian Child Welfare Act of 1978 (ICWA, enacted November 8, 1978 and codified at Indian Child Welfare Act, (, )) is a United States Code, United States federal law that governs jurisdiction over the removal of Native Americans in the United ...

(ICWA). * Rob Capriccioso ( Sault Ste. Marie Tribe of Chippewa) served as ''ICT''s Washington, DC, bureau chief. * Terri Crawford Hansen ( Winnebago Tribe of Nebraska) is a science and environment journalist who has reported on the effects of climate breakdown and adaptation planning in

for ''Indian Country Today'' since 2007 * Simon Moya-Smith (

), former ''ICT'' culture editor * Steven Newcomb (

Shawnee The Shawnee ( ) are a Native American people of the Northeastern Woodlands. Their language, Shawnee, is an Algonquian language. Their precontact homeland was likely centered in southern Ohio. In the 17th century, they dispersed through Ohi ...

Lenape The Lenape (, , ; ), also called the Lenni Lenape and Delaware people, are an Indigenous peoples of the Northeastern Woodlands, Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who live in the United States and Canada. The Lenape's historica ...

descent), co-founder and co-director of the Indigenous Law Institute in California * Steve Russell (

), associate professor emeritus of criminal justice at

Indiana University Bloomington Indiana University Bloomington (IU Bloomington, Indiana University, IU, IUB, or Indiana) is a public university, public research university in Bloomington, Indiana, United States. It is the flagship university, flagship campus of Indiana Univer ...

* Mark Trahant ( Shoshone-Bannock), founding editor of ''Indian Country Today'' on 2018 re-launch * Larry Spotted Crow Mann (

Nipmuc The Nipmuc or Nipmuck people are an Indigenous people of the Northeastern Woodlands, who historically spoke an Eastern Algonquian languages, Eastern Algonquian language, probably the Loup language. Their historic territory Nippenet, meaning 'the f ...

) * Marty Two Bulls Sr. (Oglala Lakota), cartoonist and satirist

References

External links

* * {{Authority control 1981 establishments in South Dakota Defunct Native American newspapers Indigenous rights publications Publications established in 1981 Native American mass media Online periodicals with defunct print editions