Suzan Shown Harjo

Suzan Shown Harjo is a leading Native American activist, poet, and advocate whose career has spanned decades of work on behalf of Indigenous peoples in the United States. As a member of the Cheyenne and Hodulgee Muscogee nations, Harjo has dedicated her life to fighting for Native American rights, particularly in the areas of repatriation of sacred items and human remains, intellectual property protection, and cultural representation. She is a co-founder of the National Indian Country Foundation and the National Congress of American Indians' Repatriation Committee, playing instrumental roles in the passage and implementation of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Beyond her activism, Harjo is an accomplished writer and poet whose work explores Native American identity, history, and sovereignty. Her contributions to Native American advocacy have earned her recognition as one of the most influential voices in contemporary Indigenous activism. Through both her written word and her policy advocacy, Suzan Shown Harjo has advanced the cause of Native American dignity, autonomy, and cultural preservation.