The Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas recently celebrated the 35^th anniversary of its restoration as a federally recognized tribe, which occurred on August 18, 1987. Previously, the United States government had terminated the trust relationship between it and the tribe on August 24, 1954. While tribal sovereignty and the trust relationship are essential for building equitable and inclusive societies in Texas, the U.S., and TCU, they are frequently misunderstood and rarely incorporated in TCU’s educational and administrative efforts. Join us for an exploration of these issues with Alabama-Coushatta tribal leaders where we will consider the following questions: Who are the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas? What is tribal sovereignty and the trust relationship and why are they important? What was termination and how did it affect the Alabama-Coushatta Tribe of Texas? How has restoring the trust relationship affected the Tribe? How can TCU work with the Tribe to create a respectful and mutually beneficial relationship?

Panelists: Nita Battise, Alabama-Coushatta of Texas Tribal Council Vice-Chair
Roland Poncho, Alabama-Coushatta of Texas Tribal Council Member
Cheryl Downing, Alabama-Coushatta of Texas Tribal General Manager