October 18, 2005 National Congress of American Indians Executive Director to Deliver Native American Heritage Month Keynote

Jacqueline Johnson, executive director of the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), will deliver the 2005 Native American Heritage Month keynote address at the Library of Congress at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 8, in Madison Hall, first floor, James Madison Building, 101 Independence Ave. S.E., Washington, D.C. The lecture is free and open to the public. Tickets are not required.

Prior to joining NCAI in June 2001, Johnson served as deputy assistant secretary for Native American Programs at the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development

and acted as executive director of the Tlingit-Haida Regional Housing Authority, headquartered in Juneau, Alaska. She was also former vice chairperson of the Alaska

Housing Finance Corporation, chairperson of the National American Indian Housing Council and member of the National Commission on American Indian, Alaska Native and Native Hawaiian Housing.

Johnson is a member of the Raven/Sockeye Clan of the Tlingit Tribe and is a former member of the Central Council of the Tlingit-Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska. Among her other activities, she has also served on the National Community Development Financial Institution Fund Advisory Board, an advisory board to the U.S. Department of the Treasury.

NCAI was founded in 1944 and is the oldest and largest tribal government organization in the United States, serving to inform the public and the federal government on a broad range of policy issues affecting tribal governments. NCAI also coordinates communications among more than 250 tribal governments in the United States.

This year’s Native American Heritage Month theme is “Building a Brighter Future for Our Children and Our Community.” Other events scheduled are:

William Meadows, assistant professor of anthropology at Missouri State University, discussing his book “Comanche Code Talkers of World War II” at 11 a.m. on Monday, Nov. 14, in the Mumford Room, sixth floor of the Madison Building.

Musician Ron Warren delivering a lecture and concert on his music at noon on Tuesday, Nov. 15, in Dining Room A, sixth floor of the Madison Building.

A screening of the film “Smoke Signals” (ShadowCatcher Entertainment, 1998) in the Mary Pickford Theater, third floor of the Madison Building, at 11 a.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 29.