James Youngblood Henderson

James (Sakej) Youngblood Henderson (born December 20, 1944) is an American human rights lawyer, advocate, and educator.

Background James Youngblood Henderson was born on December 20, 1944, in Ardmore, Oklahoma. He experienced poverty while growing up, which prompted him to make ending poverty for all Indigenous peoples a life goal.

Education As an undergraduate student, he served as the vice-president of the American National Indian Youth Council, which prompted him to look at the Civil Rights Movement as a model for a potential Indigenous rights movement.

He married Mi'kmaq educator Marie Battiste and is the father of Canadian MP Jaime Battiste.

Awards and honors Henderson has received several awards and honors for his proficiency in international law and his dedication to pursuing justice for Indigenous peoples, including an Indigenous People's Council award in 2005, a National Aboriginal Achievement Award, now the Indspire Award, for Law and Justice in 2006, and an Honorary Doctorate of Law from Carleton University in 2007. In addition, he was named a Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada in 2013. Tribal Administration of Natural Resource Development (1975) with Russel Lawrence Barsh The Road: Indian Tribes and Political Liberty (1982) with Russel Lawrence Barsh Mikmaq State Papers (1984) with Mik'maq Indians, Russel Lawrence Barsh, and Bernie Francis First Nations' Legal Inheritance (1991) The Míkmaw Concordat (1997) Aboriginal Tenure in the Constitution of Canada (2000) with Marjorie Lynne Benson and Isobel Findlay Aboriginal Jurisprudences Protects Aboriginal Heritages (2002) Treaty Rights in the Constitution of Canada (2007)