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An eagle feather warbonnet made by a Fort Berthold Reservation resident was presented last week to Rep. Patrick Kennedy, D-RI, for the Kennedy family's contribution to Indian education.

The presentation was held Nov. 3 when tribal leaders met in Washington, D.C., for the 40th anniversary of the Kennedy Report.

Gathered in a packed Senate Committee on Indian Affairs hearing room, tribal leaders offered tributes and gratitude to the Kennedy family and remembered the impact of the report that was introduced on Nov. 3, 1969, and titled "Indian Education: A National Tragedy A National Challenge."

The reception for the Kennedy family was hosted by the Three Affiliated Tribes, United South and Eastern tribes and the National Alliance to Save Native Languages, with headquarters in Washington, D.C.

Marcus Levings, chairman of the Three Affiliated Tribes, who is a member of the Army Reserve, presented the warbonnet to Patrick Kennedy on behalf of all the reception hosts. The person who made the warbonnet preferred not to be identified.

The warbonnet will be placed in the John F. Kennedy Library in Boston this winter, said Vonnie Alberts, congressional/legislative officer for the Three Affiliated Tribes.

Sen. Byron Dorgan, D-N.D., chairman of the Sente Committee on Indian Affairs, and other congressional members and the tribal leaders attending the reception called for continuing to fight for equality of educational opportunities for all Indian children and congressional action to strengthen Indian education

"The spirit still exists that was created by Robert and Ted Kennedy. This is all about doing what our country promised the First Americans," Dorgan said.

The event kicked off a historic week in the nation's capital when tribal leaders from the 564 federally recognized tribes met with President Obama and administration representatives during the White House Tribal Nations Conference.