Pioneering Native American Leader Marge Anderson Dies : The Two-Way : NPR: The first woman to lead a Minnesota Indian tribe has died. Marge Anderson led efforts to secure tribal hunting and fishing rights on Lake Mille Lacs. She died Saturday at age 81 of natural causes at the Mille Lacs Reservation in Onamia, Minn.
"Appointed chief executive of the Mille Lacs Band of Ojibwe in 1991, following the death of longtime tribal head Arthur Gahbow, she was elected to the top post in 1992 and 1996, leading the band until 2000 when Melanie Benjamin replaced her. Anderson was returned to office in 2008, serving until last year, when Benjamin was again elected chief executive.
"She became nationally known as a leader in efforts to strengthen tribal sovereignty and government in areas of law enforcement and environmental protection. She used the band's profits from its Hinckley and Mille Lacs casinos to fund social programs, schools and clinics for the band's approximately 3,500 members instead of handing out individual payments to band members."
