November 5th is Elouise Cobell Day.
This month’s Community Spotlight shines on Elouise Pepion Cobell (Yellow Bird Woman), whose courage and persistence brought long-overdue justice to Native communities. Her legacy reminds us that lasting change begins when one person dares to demand fairness and transparency.
Elouise Cobell Day was officially proclaimed in Montana on November 5, 2015, when then‑Governor Steve Bullock signed a proclamation recognizing November 5th of each year as a day to honor Cobell.
Early Roots & Vision
Elouise Cobell was born November 5, 1945, on the Blackfeet Reservation in Montana. Growing up one of nine children, she experienced life without modern conveniences like electricity or running water. From a young age, she heard stories of injustice—particularly how many tribal landowners never received proper accounting or payments for resources extracted from their lands. Her paternal line includes Mountain Chief, a Blackfeet leader who resisted unfair government deals.
She studied accounting and business, interning with the Bureau of Indian Affairs during her schooling. These early experiences deepened her awareness of the trust and accounting failures that would later become the focus of her life’s work.
Leadership in Action
In 1976, Cobell became Treasurer of the Blackfeet Nation. In that role, she uncovered financial irregularities in oil, gas, timber, and grazing leases, and pressed for accountability. She refused to accept vague or dismissive responses from officials, demanding clarity for tribal landowners.
Elouise co-founded the Blackfeet National Bank, and later the Native American Bank, which became a multi-tribal institution to support Indigenous economic development. Her financial literacy, integrity, and persistence gave communities tools to control their own futures.
Cobell v. Salazar: A Battle for Justice
In 1996, Cobell joined with other plaintiffs to file Cobell v. Babbitt, later Cobell v. Salazar, a landmark lawsuit against the U.S. government. The case challenged decades of mismanagement of Individual Indian Money (IIM) accounts, which held revenue from resource leases on tribal lands.
After years of legal struggle, negotiation, and appeals, a $3.4 billion settlement was reached in 2009. The settlement included individual payments, a land consolidation program to reduce fractionated land holdings, and creation of the Cobell Education Scholarship Fund. The courts approved the settlement in 2011, just months before Elouise’s death.
Honors & Legacy
- Her birthday, November 5, is commemorated as Elouise Cobell Day in Montana.
- In 1997, she was awarded a MacArthur Fellowship (“Genius Grant”) and used part of it to support the trust litigation.
- She joked “about having made the leap from ‘dumb Indian’ to ‘genius’ in one lifetime.”
- Cobell was not only the lead plaintiff but raised money for the suit, donating part of the $310,000 from her “Genius Grant” to the cause.
- She was given warrior status by the Blackfeet Nation, a rare honor.
- She received an Honorary Doctorate from Montana State University.
- Montana Trial Lawyers Association gave Cobell its annual Citizens Award in 2011.
- Posthumously, she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 by President Barack Obama.
- The Elouise Cobell Land & Culture Institute at the University of Montana continues her work through scholarship, education, and tribal partnerships.
Words That Inspire
Elouise Cobell’s life reminds us of the power of tenacity, the weight of accountability, and the impact one committed voice can have. Her fight challenged systems, uplifted communities, and showed that reform is possible—even against entrenched power.
“I never started this case for fame or money. I started it because it was the right thing to do.”
— Elouise Cobell (Yellow Bird Woman)
Her legacy lives on in education funds, land restoration, institutional reforms, and the ongoing work of Native-led advocacy. As we reflect on her journey, let us also recommit ourselves to justice, transparency, and the sovereignty of Indigenous nations.