Heyza, Richard. “Marlon Brando (left) and Robert Satiacum (right) during the Fish Wars.” Seattle Times via Smithsonian Institute for American Art.
The Fish Wars (Nisqually, WA)
Unfulfilled, ignored, and broken treaty obligations cutting off their access to fishing, hunting, and foraging had left Nisqually Tribal members facing severe hunger. In 1963, Billy Frank Jr. took up civil disobedience as a survival strategy, launching “fish-in” protests that gained national media and celebrity attention. By 1974, the courts determined that the Nisqually had a right to one half of the fish harvested from their river, establishing important precedent for future challenges by Indigenous communities.
Where is it located in the Museum?
Museum Map
LOBBY
THE
WISHING
TREE
WISHING
TREE
THE SNAP CAFÉ
AUDITORIUM
TERRACE RESTAURANT