The Subject: Billy Frank Jr.
Billy Frank Jr. was a Nisqually tribal member who fought tirelessly to ensure that the United States government would honor the promises made in the treaties with Washington Tribes. His activism and perseverance paved the way for the “Boldt decision” in United States v. Washington, which affirmed the right of Washington treaty tribes to take up to half of the harvestable salmon in western Washington, reaffirmed tribal treaty reserved rights, and established the tribes as comanagers of the salmon resource.