Billy Frank Jr. Day
By Amy Hepburn, Native Connections Action Group
In honor of Billy Frank, Jr. Day in Washington State (March 9), I invite you to reflect on the life of this extraordinary leader. Though I grew up in New England knowing little about him, I now better understand his profound impact on Native American treaty rights, salmon protection, and civil rights in Washington State and beyond. Like Martin Luther King, Jr., he practiced nonviolent civil disobedience and led with integrity, courage, and a focus on future generations.
Born in 1931 to Nisqually parents, Billy Frank, Jr. began advocating for treaty fishing rights at age 14 after being arrested for fishing off reservation. Over the next 30 years, he was arrested many times during the “fish-ins” of the 1960s and 1970s, enduring harassment and jail to defend tribal fishing rights.
At the heart of the conflict was the 1854 Medicine Creek Treaty, which guaranteed tribes the right to fish on traditional grounds. Washington State challenged that right, leading to a federal lawsuit. In 1974, Federal Judge George Boldt ruled that tribes were entitled to up to 50% of the harvest in their usual fishing areas. Though backlash followed, the decision affirmed treaty rights and reshaped resource management in the state.
Billy Frank, Jr. helped create the Northwest Indian Fish Commission and spent decades negotiating with tribes, industries, environmental groups, and government agencies to protect salmon habitat and uphold Native sovereignty. He later focused on educating the public about environmental stewardship.
He died in 2014 at age 83 and received the Presidential Medal of Freedom. His legacy continues through his family and the Nisqually Tribe’s ongoing efforts to protect the Nisqually River and its salmon.
I am grateful for the opportunity I’ve had to learn about Billy Frank, Jr. and to share what I’ve learned. I value his direct way of expressing important truths. “I don’t believe in magic, I believe in the sun and the stars, the water, the tides, the floods, the owls, the hawks flying, the river running, the wind talking. They’re measurements. They tell us how healthy things are. How healthy we are. Because we and they are the same. That’s what I believe in. Those who learn to listen to the world that sustains them can hear the message brought forth by the salmon.”
Resources to learn more about Billy Frank, Jr., and salmon recovery efforts:
A 5 minute video: https://www.king5.com/article/news/community/facing-race/tribal-land-national-parks-washington/281-fec522a5-cb26-45f2-9d61-9c95d7030294
Where the Salmon Run: The Life and Legend of Billy Frank, Jr. by Trova Heffernan.
Tell the Truth, The Collected Columns of Billy Frank, Jr., available on Amazon Proceeds from the sale go to the Billy Frank Jr. Salmon Forever Fund, managed by Salmon Defense.
Salmon Defense, http://salmondefense.org/
Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission, http://nwifc.org/