Elouise Cobell, 1945-2011, Winner of the Indian Trust Case

Born on the Blackfeet Reservation, Elouise Cobell was the great granddaughter of Mountain Chief, one of the legendary Indian leaders of the West. For 15 years, Cobell pursued the case on behalf of more than 500,000 Indian people who were due royalties from the federal government dating back over a century for the use of their lands. Finally in 2009, the federal government settled for more than $3.4 billion, one of the largest class-action settlements in the country's history. When he signed the settlement law in 2010, President Obama said it "closes a long and unfortunate chapter in our history."

But like so many of the beneficiaries, Elouise Cobell died waiting for the money to be distributed. Earlier this month, a federal judge allowed appeals of the settlement to move forward. Cobell argued forcefully against such appeals because many beneficiaries were elderly and that others had already died without seeing their money returned.

Cobell and his husband operated a working ranch in Montana and founded the first Land trust in Indian Country. She served as co-chair of Native American Bank and was the treasurer for the Blackfeet Indian Nation for 13 years. She received a MacArthur "genius" grant in 2007 and was given an International Women's Forum Award in 2002. She received honorary doctorate degrees from Dartmouth College and Montana State University.

President Obama issued a statement expressing his and Michelle's sadness about Cobell's death. President Obama pointed to her courageous fight on the Indian Trust case and noted that the settlement law he signed also created a scholarship fund to give more Native Americans access to hgher education and tribes more control over their own lands.

U.S. Senior District Judge Thomas F. Hogan at a hearing on the settlement said of Elouise Cobell ,"She has accomplished more for the individual, I think, Native American than any other person recently in history."

Her passing is a loss both for Indian Nation as well as the United States as a whole. Her persistance on the Trust case and the basic endurance during years of stonewalling and delay by the United States Government was incredible. Watching this case over the years was like watching paint dry--except that you never knew if it would dry. And as we see with the appeals, it still ain't over.