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The treaty of Point Elliot was signed on January 22nd, 1855, creating a government to government relationship between the Duwamish and US. This treaty ensured fishing and hunting rights to all of the tribes represented by Native signers. Over 54,000 acres of their homeland was exchanged in return for tis reservation, including Seattle, Renton, Bellevue, Tukwila, and the majority of king county.

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On January 22, 1855, near Mukilteo, among the signers of the Treaty of Point Elliott, the Duwamish Tribe was listed first. Chief Si'ahl's name was placed at the very top of the treaty, reflecting his personal importance and that of his tribes. The Duwamish signers of the Point Elliott Treaty were Chief Si'ahl, and the Duwamish "sub-chiefs" Ts'huahntl, Now-a-chais, Ha-seh-doo-an.

The 1855 Treaty created a Government-to-Government relationship between the United States and the Dxʷdəwʔabš. The United States Senate ratified the Point Elliott Treaty in 1859. The Treaty of Point Elliott guaranteed hunting and fishing rights and reservations to all Tribes represented by the Native signers.

In return for the reservation and other benefits promised in the treaty by the United States government, the Duwamish Tribe exchanged over 54,000 acres of their homeland. Today those 54,000 acres include the cities of Seattle, Renton, Tukwila, Bellevue, and Mercer Island, and much of King County.

European-American immigrants soon violated the Treaty of Point Elliott of 1855, triggering a series of Native rebellions from 1855 to 1858 known as "the Indian War". Instigated by the European-Americans, this war set tribe against tribe, and brother against brother. Chief Si'ahl helped protect the small group of European-American settlers from attacks by other Native warriors in what became the City of Seattle during the rebellions.

DENIAL OF TREATY RIGHTS

In 1866, United States Indian Agent Thomas Paige recommended to the United States government that a reservation be established for the Dxʷdəwʔabš, the Duwamish. European-American immigrants - including Seattle civic leaders - petitioned against a Duwamish reservation near the City of Seattle. In their letter to Congress member Arthur Denny, the European-American immigrants protested that " such a reservation would do a great injustice", claiming that the promised reservation would be " of little value to the Indians ". It is said that Denny's life was threatened.

The European-Americans immigrants' protest petition blocked any reservation being established for the Duwamish. Promises made by the United States United States government over 150 years ago to the Duwamish in the Treaty of Point Elliott have never been honored.

The promise of a Duwamish reservation and all of the other Treaty promises made by the United States government to the Duwamish over 150 years ago in the Treaty of Point Elliott have never been kept.

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Treaty of Point Elliott - Duwamish Tribe

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On January 22, 1855, near Mukilteo, among the signers of the Treaty of Point Elliott , the Duwamish Tribe was listed first. Chief Si'ahl's name was placed at the very top of the treaty, reflecting his personal importance and that of his tribes.

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Industrialization of the Duwamish River (1890s) 

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Industrialization of the Duwamish River (1890s) 

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As Seattle rapidly expands, industries move into the area, using the Duwamish River as a transportation route and dumping ground. The river becomes lined with factories, mills, and shipyards, dramatically changing its landscape. Traditional Duwamish fishing villages along the riverbanks are displaced, forcing many to relocate or adapt to an increasingly urbanized way of life. Pollution starts to degrade the river’s water quality, affecting fish populations that the Duwamish have depended on for generations. This period marks the beginning of the tribe’s long battle against environmental destruction and loss of ancestral land. Story Map: The Lower Duwamish River, Passageway for Fish and Industry | response.restoration.noaa.gov

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Story Map: The Lower Duwamish River, Passageway for Fish and Industry | response.restoration.noaa.gov

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Story Map: The Lower Duwamish River, Passageway for Fish and Industry

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straightening of duwamish river (1909-1913) 

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straightening of duwamish river (1909-1913) 

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The straightening of the duwamish river began in October 14, 1913. its intention was to enhance navigation and support industrial growth. This involved dredging and reshaping the river to accommodate larger ships, which changed its natural flow and ecosystem. As a result, the river faced severe environmental consequences, including the destruction of wetlands, loss of habitats, and water quality problems

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Straightening of Duwamish River begins on October 14, 1913.

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On October 14, 1913, the straightening of the Duwamish River into the Duwamish Waterway begins. Twenty million cubic yards of mud and sand are moved until the bends of the river are filled and the ma

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Heavy Industrial Pollution + Loss of Fishing Rights (1920-1950) 

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Heavy Industrial Pollution + Loss of Fishing Rights (1920-1950) 

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As Seattle’s industries expand, factories and shipyards along the Duwamish River discharge massive amounts of toxic waste directly into the water. Heavy metals, petroleum products, and other pollutants accumulate, making the river one of the most contaminated in the United States. Meanwhile, state and federal policies restrict Native fishing rights, further marginalizing the Duwamish people. Many tribal members struggle to sustain their traditional way of life as their natural resources are taken from them.

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Nearly 50 years have passed since U.S. District Court Judge George Boldt handed down his historic ruling affirming Native American fishing rights. In this originl essay written for National History Day by Andrew Da, a student at North Creek High School in Bothell, Da details the turbulent history of fishing rights in Washington and the broader implications of the Boldt Decision nationally. "I pieced together the story," he wrote, "realizing that this local fishing rights debate was tied to a broader national narrative - a widespread Indigenous rights movement that pressed the federal government to recognize treaties and treaty-protected tribal sovereignty ... Today's freedom to exercise treaty-reserved fishing rights came at the cost of decades-long social debates, legal disputes, and civil disobedience. The triumph of regaining treaty rights through the Boldt Decision is not just a Northwest story: It pushed the national tribal sovereignty movement forward, propelling the restoration of tribal-federal diplomacy."
Sovereign Nations"All treaties made, or which shall be made, under the authority of the United States, shall be the supreme law of the land." - U.S. Constitution, Article VI.
From the first contact with European settlers, Native tribes have been recognized as sovereign nations. The United States maintains nation-to-nation diplomacy with tribes by signing treaties that carry the weight of the U.S. Constitution. Serving as the foundation of the diplomatic relationship between Native nations and the United States, these treaties were not a grant of rights to Indigenous peoples, but rather a reaffirmation of tribal sovereignty that far preexisted the U.S.

Between 1854 and 1856, on behalf of the federal government, Washington Territorial Governor Isaac Stevens negotiated a series of treaties with Native nations in the Pacific Northwest. Through these treaties, tribes ceded nearly 64 million acres of land in exchange for small reservations and monetary compensation. At the very least, Indigenous leaders retained what was non-negotiable - the right to fish in their ancestral waters. Despite treaty promises, Indigenous off-reservation fishing rights were repeatedly ignored and violated. Through decades-long social and legal debates, Northwest tribes - as small, vulnerable nations within a large, forceful entity - tenaciously and strategically fought to defend their sovereignty and way of life. The triumph of regaining treaty fishing rights through the Boldt Decision pushed the contemporary tribal sovereignty movement forward, turning a new page in the unique diplomatic relationship between Native nations and the U.S.
The Salmon People
With roots spanning thousands of years on the land, Northwest Indigenous peoples consider fishing their "fabric of life." For them, the Pacific salmon and the salmon-like steelhead trout are staple fish. Referring to themselves as Salmon People, tribes cherish their relationship with the sacred fish as a source of spiritual strength and physical nourishment. The livelihoods of Native fishermen depended upon the preservation of salmon runs: "Catch what you need and release what you don't." Overfishing was never a problem.
Stevens Treaties: "This Paper Secures Your Fish"
Impelled by a belief in manifest destiny and lured by free land granted through the Donation Land Act, settlers poured into the Northwest in the mid-nineteenth century. To acquire land and resources, Governor Stevens negotiated treaties with Indigenous communities located near the Columbia Basin and Puget Sound of Western Washington. Aware of the importance of salmon to the tribes, Stevens promised to secure their fish. Beginning with the Medicine Creek Treaty in 1854, Stevens signed six treaties over two years - each containing a similar provision on Indigenous fishing rights: "The right of taking fish, at all usual and accustomed grounds and stations, is further secured to said Indians, in common with all citizens of the Territory."

Despite drafting the treaties in English, Stevens conducted discussions in Chinook jargon, a patchwork trading language with fewer than 500 words. Communications were translated between English, Chinook jargon, and Native languages. Along with language barriers, Indigenous culture lacked Western concepts of ownership, leaving enormous gaps for misunderstandings and misinterpretations. For years to come, varying interpretations of key treaty phrases sparked countless social and legal debates
Social Debates: Interpreting the Treaties
Initially, there was little conflict regarding fishing rights in the Pacific Northwest. Instead of fishing, settlers focused on logging, farming, and mining. In 1889, Washington Territory was admitted into the Union as a state. As more settlers arrived, the abundant salmon runs began to decline. Canning technologies drove the commercial fishing industry to harvest and preserve in larger quantities. Recreational sportsfishermen emerged in the 1920s, particularly favoring the steelhead. Moreover, dam-building, logging operations, and agricultural development degraded and destroyed salmon habitats.

Attempting to manage the declining resource, Washington enacted conservation regulations by enforcing license requirements, banning certain fishing gear, and limiting fishing seasons and locations. However, Native fishermen continued fishing as before, believing they were protected by their treaty rights. In 1934, Washington State passed Initiative 77, primarily prohibiting Native traditional fishing gear. Closely monitoring Native fishermen, the state forbade off-reservation fishing. Failing to address the underlying issues, these regulations ultimately forced Indigenous peoples - the actual victims of fishing competition - into a scapegoat for salmon depletion.

As demand for fish rapidly outpaced supply, different parties took disparate positions on treaty interpretations. For Native fishermen, treaties reserved their permanent right to fish at accustomed grounds. The key treaty phrase "in common with" implied that Native fishermen could continue fishing off-reservation undisturbed and unchanged, even with non-Native fishermen present. Meanwhile, non-Native fishermen believed the phrase meant Native fishermen had an equal but not superior right to fish. The state government interpreted the phrase to hold Native fishermen under nondiscriminating state fishing laws.

By the mid-twentieth century, Native fishermen caught only 6 percent of total fish. For them and their culture to survive, Indigenous peoples had to risk gear confiscation, arrest, and imprisonment to fish off-reservation. Simultaneously, accusations of Indigenous "illegal" fishing practices fueled negative sentiment. By the early 1960s, Northwest Native fishermen were consistently portrayed by the media as selfish, greedy, and anti-conservation. Facing daunting legal challenges, Indigenous Americans were rendered powerless against unjust government policies and growing public opposition.
Legal Debates: Revealing Inconsistent Tribal-Federal Policies
As tensions escalated, Northwest tribes undertook court debates to remedy broken treaty rights. Following the first legal settlement in 1887, court rulings on fishing disputes underwent repeated turnabouts. The 1905 case ruled that the treaties should be interpreted from Indigenous understandings, affirming off-reservation fishing rights. In 1942, Tulee v. Washington vaguely indicated the state could regulate if "necessary for the conservation." Later, in 1963, Washington v. McCoy reinstated the state's right to impose "reasonable and necessary regulations" on Native fishermen.

These fluctuating court decisions reflect inconsistent federal policies toward Native nations. The Dawes Act of 1887 divided reservations into plots of land for individual households, forcing Indigenous peoples to adopt American culture by becoming farmers. The 1924 Indian Citizenship Act, which granted citizenship to all Indigenous peoples, attempted to further assimilate them into American society. Contrarily, the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 - part of President Roosevelt's New Deal to alleviate poverty - recognized tribal self-government privileges, offering political liberties and economic benefits to Indigenous Americans. Beginning in the mid-1940s, however, the federal government backpedaled legislation on tribal affairs. Passing HCR-108 in 1953, Congress formally introduced "termination policy" to dissolve reservations and tribal sovereignty, forcing the assimilation of Indigenous Americans into mainstream society. Soon after, Congress passed Public Law 280, shifting tribal responsibility and jurisdiction from federal to state governments
Fish Wars: Turning the Tide on the Fishing Rights Debate
Indigenous Americans nationwide viewed termination policy as an alarming threat, not only to their territory and culture but to their political status as sovereign entities. From the 1940s to the 1960s, several new organizations - including the National Congress of American Indians, the American Indian Movement, and the National Indian Youth Council - challenged notions of racism, government overreach, and civil rights. Although these movements were politically ineffective, they elicited publicity about tribal affairs. As termination policy was further enforced, a group of young, college-educated Indigenous Americans, including Vine Deloria Jr. and Hank Adams, developed new political and legal strategies to halt termination, reject unilateralism, and reinstate tribal governance.

As public awareness of tribal affairs spread, movement leaders looked toward the Pacific Northwest fishing-rights cases for a breakthrough, targeting specific legal arguments on treaty rights and tribal sovereignty. At the time, Washington actively arrested Nisqually and Puyallup Native fishermen in Puget Sound, who were protected under the Medicine Creek Treaty. Inspired by the ongoing civil rights movement's sit-ins, and threatened by increasing state jurisdiction, the tribes perceived the necessity of direct action, shifting from quiet persistence to open resistance. In 1964, Survival of the American Indian Association (SAIA), mostly consisting of Frank's Landing residents of the Nisqually Reservation, was founded to advocate for Northwest Indigenous fishing rights through civil disobedience. Supported by leaders from prominent national organizations, including NAACP Regional Director Jack Tanner, SAIA organized fish-ins in Puget Sound by continuing fishing in customary waters, effectively connecting their protests to civil rights movements across the nation.

To generate public support absent from previous conflicts, fish-ins emphasized coalitions with non-Native allies. Activists, including former Oregon Congresswoman Elizabeth Furse, went door-to-door informing people about the Constitution, broken treaties, and Indigenous struggles. Across the country, non-Native supporters stood up and advocated for the Puget Sound tribes. "They have little left," actor Marlon Brando asserted. "Everything has been taken from them." Garnering public support, Indigenous leaders and their allies paved the way to winning future debates through decisive rulings.

Through anti-compliance against state laws, Indigenous leaders pressured the federal government to act. "When they said you have no rights," SAIA head Hank Adams declared, "you prove you do by going back to the river." As one of the foremost leaders in the Northwest Fish Wars, Billy Frank Jr. continued exercising his treaty fishing rights despite 50 arrests. Frank's home at Frank's Landing became ground zero for many, sometimes violent, confrontations. On September 9, 1970, the battle over fishing rights reached a dangerous climax. After protesters formed an armed force for self-protection along the Puyallup River, state police agents raided the encampment. Media coverage of officers brutally attacking Native protesters shocked the nation.

Fishing debates in Puget Sound were paralleled in Oregon's Columbia Basin. Ruling on U.S. v. Oregon in 1969, Judge Robert Belloni affirmed Indigenous fishing rights in the Columbia Basin and introduced the concept of "fair share" without apportionment of harvestable catch. This critical court decision, along with growing public consciousness, helped turn the tide in favor of the tribes. After witnessing the Puyallup River confrontation, federal attorney Stan Pitkin filed a comprehensive lawsuit on September 18, 1970, against Washington State for violating treaty rights.
The Boldt Decision: Restoring Treaty Fishing Rights
After three years of testimonials and evidence examination, U.S. v. Washington commenced its trial on August 27, 1973. George H. Boldt, Federal District Court Judge in Tacoma, oversaw the case. Representing 14 Native nations, the U.S. government sued the State Department of Fisheries, the State Game Commission, and the Washington Reefnet Owners Association. During the trial, Washington State Attorney General Slade Gorton argued that, under the Fourteenth Amendment's Equal Protection Clause, Native fishermen had no special rights to fish off-reservation, claiming that state regulations in the interest of conservation were nondiscriminatory. Plaintiff tribes countered that Washington could not regulate their fishing at treaty locations, seeking a decision on off-reservation fishing rights and the division of harvestable catch.

On February 12, 1974, Boldt handed down his groundbreaking ruling - widely known as the Boldt Decision. Within the 203-page decision, Boldt construed that "all usual and accustomed grounds" meant "every fishing location where members of a tribe customarily fished," implying legal protection for Indigenous off-reservation fishing. Based on relevant historical definitions, Boldt determined that the crucial treaty phrase "in common with" meant "sharing equally." Concretizing Belloni's "fair share" concept, Boldt announced a 50-50 allocation of harvestable fish between treaty and non-treaty fishermen. Recognizing the sovereign rights of tribes to regulate salmon harvest, Boldt instituted fishery co-management between tribes and the state. However, the Boldt Decision did not peacefully translate into social acceptance. The state sought to appeal, while non-Native fishermen reacted with enraged opposition. Even within Indigenous communities, some felt they should be awarded a greater-than-equal share. Unrest continued until a 6-3 decision in the U.S. Supreme Court upheld Boldt's ruling in 1979.
Legacy
The debate over who can fish, where to fish, and how much to fish endured for decades in the Pacific Northwest. The Stevens Treaties of the 1850s, as bilateral agreements between tribes and the U.S. government, lie at the heart of the controversy. Differing interpretations from tribes, the state, and non-Native fishermen escalated widespread debates about key treaty phrases. As the culmination of this long-standing debate, the 1974 Boldt Decision interpreted the treaties as the Indigenous leaders understood them, upholding Indigenous fishing rights and honoring American diplomatic commitment to Native nations.

The landmark ruling introduced the concept of co-management, elevating Indigenous political status and transforming government-tribal interactions. The Northwest Indian Fisheries Commission was created in 1974 to lead 10 Western Washington treaty tribes in their role as natural resource co-managers. For the first time in many decades, the state recognized tribes as independent sovereign governments, agreeing on cooperation instead of regulation. Promoting Indigenous participation, the co-management framework was adopted in future dispute resolution, such as the 1985 Pacific Salmon Treaty and the 1986 Timber Fish Wildlife Agreement. In the legal landscape, the Boldt Decision established a precedent for tribal sovereignty in Indigenous rights court cases both nationally and internationally.

Nevertheless, the Boldt Decision is still imperfect - particularly in the context of correcting a 100-year-old mistake. Only affirming treaty-recognized Indigenous fishing rights, the ruling resulted in non-treaty tribes losing access to all off-reservation fishing sites. Even within treaty tribes, those with greater capital took much higher salmon volumes than those without. Furthermore, the 50-50 allocation pushed many non-Native commercial fishermen out of business.

The Northwest fishing debate is not simply about fish, it epitomizes the Indigenous struggle for survival and determination for sovereignty. In the journey of defending their identity and rights, Indigenous peoples withstood arrest, imprisonment, and defamation. Applying political and legal strategies to sway public opinion, Indigenous leaders fostered awareness of treaties and treaty-recognized tribal sovereignty. Amplified by winning Northwest fishing rights cases, the national tribal sovereignty movement ultimately pressed the federal government to reform its policies toward Native nations. In 1975, Congress reversed termination policy and passed the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, reinstating the federal government's treaty obligations to tribes and reaffirming tribal self-governance authority. Self-determination policy authorized tribes to contract with federal agencies to directly administer programs, such as resource management, healthcare, education, and environmental protection. Nowadays, tribal, state, and federal managers gather to coordinate Northwest salmon fishery operations called "North of Falcon." North of Falcon is not a win-lose debate; rather, it provides equal grounds for tribes and the U.S. government to plan Northwest fisheries and protect endangered salmon species together.

Despite being the supreme law of the land, treaties - as the foundation of diplomacy between Native nations and the United States - were broken for decades in the Pacific Northwest. Through unrelenting social debates, legal disputes, and civil disobedience, Northwest tribes fought for and regained their treaty-guaranteed fishing rights. Allying with national civil rights organizations, Northwest activists pushed the tribal sovereignty movement forward, propelling the restoration of tribal-federal diplomacy. The Northwest fishing rights debate reflects a painful era of American history: countless broken promises led to long-standing struggles and disputes. As this unique diplomacy evolves, conflict and controversy are inevitable.

Today, through government-mandated curricula, Washington commits to educating its citizens, particularly the youth, about treaty rights and Indigenous history. The nationwide practice of land acknowledgments recognizes the enduring relationship between Indigenous peoples and their traditional territories, while honoring their struggle and sacrifice. All Americans carry the responsibility of understanding and respecting treaties and treaty-protected tribal sovereignty. Only acceptance of the true history can prevent future broken promises and maintain the harmonious coexistence between Native nations and the United States.

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Debate and Diplomacy in the Indigenous Fight for Fishing Rights

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Nearly 50 years have passed since U.S. District Court Judge George Boldt handed down his historic ruling affirming Native American fishing rights. In this originl essay written for National History Day by Andrew Da, a student at North Creek High School in Bothell, Da details the turbulent history of fishing rights in Washington and the broader implications of the Boldt Decision nationally.

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A federal court ruling affirms that Washington tribes, including the Duwamish, have treaty-protected rights to fish in their ancestral waters. This decision strengthens indigenous sovereignty but does not resolve the Duwamish Tribe’s lack of federal recognition.

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1st petition for federal recognition (1978) 

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1st petition for federal recognition (1978) 

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The Duwamish Tribe formally applies for federal recognition, seeking legal acknowledgment and the benefits granted to recognized tribes. their petition faces delays and legal challenges over the next several decades.

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As stated on this website, "Today, the vast majority of Duwamish descendants are members of the Muckleshoot, Puyallup, Tulalip, Suquamish, and Lummi Tribes. But a small group calling itself the Duwamish Tribal Organization is deceptively using the name of our ancestors in an effort to appropriate our history and our culture.

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clinton/bush administration decision (2001) 

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clinton/bush administration decision (2001) 

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In the final days of Bill Clinton’s presidency, the U.S. government officially grants the Duwamish Tribe federal recognition. This decision is celebrated as a long-overdue acknowledgment of their tribal sovereignty, affirming their rights to self-governance, federal benefits, and legal protections. However, this victory is temporary, as the new Bush administration reverses the decision just months later, renewing the tribe’s fight for recognition and justice.

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Duwamish Tribe wins federal recognition on January 19, 2001, but lose

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On January 19, 2001, the Duwamish Tribe wins federal recognition. However, fewer than 48 hours later, the tribe learns that President George W. Bush has suspended a batch of President Clinton’s 11th-

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Bush administration on the recognition (2002) 

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Bush administration on the recognition (2002) 

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Shortly after taking office, the George W. Bush administration reverses the previous decision, stripping the Duwamish of federal recognition. This leaves the tribe without government support, funding, or the legal federal status afforded to other recognized tribes.

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The U.S. Department of Interior issued what it called a final decision in denying federal recognition to the Duwamish Tribe.

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The Duwamish Tribe's decades-long quest to gain federal recognition hit a massive roadblock this week, as the U.S. Department of Interior issued its final decision denying such recognition to the tribe.

In a letter to Cecile Hansen, tribal chairwoman, the department said it had determined the Duwamish "is not entitled to be acknowledged as an Indian tribe within the meaning of federal law," and emphasized that the decision was final for the department.

Benefits of federal recognition include funding for housing, education and health care, and the possibility of land for a reservation and the ability to run a casino.

Hansen could not immediately be reached for comment.

Bart Freedman, attorney for the tribe at K&L Gates law firm, said Friday: "I'm certain there's going to be an appeal" - perhaps through the courts.

Hansen, he said, is "absolutely committed to seeing her tribe be recognized as it should be."

The Duwamish, who lived on land that is now South Seattle, Renton and Kent, have been called Seattle's first people. Their leader, Chief Sealth, lent Seattle his name.

Chief Sealth, along with co-signers from other tribes, signed the Treaty of Point Elliott in 1855, relinquishing their land to the U.S. government, in return for land for reservations, fishing and hunting rights and a settlement of $150,000.

But while other tribes that were co-signers to the treaty were granted fishing rights and reservation land, the Duwamish were never given those.

There are about 600 descendants of the Duwamish.

"There's something really painful as a community about being the first people here and not being recognized," Freedman said.

The Duwamish first submitted a petition for federal recognition in 1977 and revised it in 1989.

The fight has seen many twists since. In January 2001, an official at the Department of Interior approved the Duwamish's petition for federal recognition in the final days of the Clinton administration - but didn't sign it until three days after leaving office.

The recognition was overturned by the George W. Bush administration, which said the Duwamish had a temporary lapse in tribal government and did not always live in a cohesive community - thereby not fulfilling two of the criteria for federal recognition.

The tribe filed suit in U.S. District Court, a move that brought temporary victory when a federal judge in 2013 vacated the Bush administration's denial of the tribe's recognition.

The judge also ordered the Department of Interior to take another look at the petition, reviewing it under new rules for federal recognition that the department had adopted in 1994. Those 1994 rules were more lenient than the original regulations, set in 1978, that the Bush administration had used to deny the tribe's petition.

Thursday's decision was the result of that second look.

The department, in a news release, said the Duwamish did not meet the requirements for federal recognition under either the 1978 or 1994 regulations.

Specifically, the department said in its decision, there was insufficient evidence to demonstrate, during certain periods, that the Duwamish had been identified as an "Indian entity." It also said there was a "lack of evidence concerning the continuous existence of a "distinct American-Indian community" and "tribal political influence or authority," as required by the 1978 and 1994 rules.

In its letter to Hansen, the department said the Duwamish would be informed of alternative ways to achieve the status of federally recognized tribes, or other ways that tribe members can become eligible for services and benefits as Indians, including by enrolling in other federally recognized tribes. (Some Duwamish Tribe members have already done this in order to receive federal health-care and other services.)

Rep. Jim McDermott, D-Seattle, has tried unsuccessfully, several times, to push a bill through Congress to grant the tribe federal recognition.

The Interior Department's decision on the Duwamish came during the same week that it issued new rules by which tribes can seek federal recognition.

The new rules could make it simpler for tribes to meet certain evidence requirements for federal recognition - and could be part of the basis for an appeal of the department's decision on the Duwamish, said Freedman, the attorney for the tribe.

"It's a cruel irony that (the Interior Department) denied the Duwamish under the old rules. ... The Duwamish were the only tribe after the 1994 rules were adopted that didn't get the benefit of the new rules," until the court ordered the department to take a second look, Freedman said.

"Now we have a set of new rules and again, the Duwamish find themselves the only pending party who's not being considered," he added.

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Duwamish Tribe denied federal recognition

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The U.S. Department of Interior issued what it called a final decision in denying federal recognition to the Duwamish Tribe. Share story The Duwamish Tribe's decades-long quest to gain federal recognition hit a massive roadblock this week, as the U.S. Department of Interior issued its final decision denying such recognition to the tribe.

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 Duwamish River declares a superfund site (2014) 

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 Duwamish River declares a superfund site (2014) 

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The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) designates the Duwamish River as a Superfund site due to decades of industrial pollution. Cleanup efforts begin, but contamination remains a significant issue for the river and the Duwamish people, who have long relied on its waters for fishing and cultural practices. The fight for a cleaner river remains tied to their struggle for tribal recognition and the preservation of their ancestral lands.

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Duwamish River Superfund Site - King County, Washington

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Chemical pollution gets into our environment from many sources. You cannot see, smell or taste most of the chemical pollution that gets into the water, mud and fish. For over a century, the Duwamish River became polluted with toxic chemicals from many sources, including storm water runoff, wastewater, and industrial practices.

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Ongoing fight for federal recognition (2022-present) 

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Ongoing fight for federal recognition (2022-present) 

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The Duwamish Tribe continues its legal and political battle to regain federal recognition. Despite setbacks, they advocate for their treaty rights, cultural preservation, and acknowledgment as a sovereign nation, emphasizing the U.S. government’s historical promises that remain unfulfilled. the Duwamish remain eager in their fight for justice, seeking the same rights and resources afforded to federally recognized tribes.

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Lawsuit for Federal Recognition — Duwamish Tribe

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WE ARE STILL HERE. We are the People of the Inside, dxʷdəwʔabš, the Duwamish Tribe. We are the first people of Seattle and Greater King County.