“We,the Indian People,Must Set an Example for the Rest of the Nation”: Environmental Justice from a Native American Perspective

Abstract

Native Americans have a long history of contending with environmental injustices, a history that began with the advent of European imperialism. Recent scholarship has examined the various ways in which Native activists have sought to regain access to natural resources and sacred spaces that help sustain cultural identity and traditional religious practices. This article documents some of the themes of this scholarship, outlines intersections with a broader environmental justice movement in the United States, and offers a consideration of Native Americans' approaches to and definitions of environmental justice.