BISMARCK – The North Dakota Native American Hall of Honor Committee, including tribal representatives from each of the five federally recognized tribes of North Dakota, has selected recipients to be recognized in the North Dakota Native American Hall of Honor.

The induction ceremony will be Thursday, Sept. 6, as part of the Tribal Leadership Summit and United Tribes International Powwow.

The program recognizes traditional and contemporary achievements in four categories. Nominees can be living or in memoriam.

The 2018 categories and inductees are:

– Sports/Athletics: 1941-42 Elbowood Warriors Basketball Team of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.

The 1941-42 Elbowoods Warriors Basketball Team were the first Native American team to win the North Dakota State Basketball Championship, according to the nomination. Although they lost the actual championship game that took place in Minot in 1942, they were not awarded championship until 60 years later after several meetings and negotiations led by Mark Fox (team member Isaac Fox’s son) and others and a motion was approved by the North Dakota High School Activities Association. NDHSAA agreed the team the Warriors had played had violated the association’s rules. The championship was awarded to the Warriors in 2002. All the team members served honorably in World War II. After returning to Fort Berthold Reservation they held leadership roles and contributed to society in many other ways.

– Leadership: Betty L. Gress, Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation.

Betty Gress, an enrolled member of the Mandan, Hidatsa and Arikara Nation, was a founding staff member of the Coalition of Indian Controlled School Boards, Inc., according to the nomination. She is best known for all aspects of the Indian controlled schools movement. There were five Indian controlled schools in 1972 and today there are over 100. She also worked to improve Indian housing on reservations and healthcare for Native Americans living off the reservations in urban areas. Gress lives in Colorado.

– Leadership: Patrick Moses Gourneau, Turtle Mountain Band of Chippewa.

Patrick Moses Gourneau, according to the nomination, was tribal chairman from July 1953-1959. An able statesman and tireless champion of Indian rights, he actively took a leadership role in the revival of traditional Indian ceremonials and dance. Gourneau’s extensive work includes being instrumental in helping to protect the Turtle Mountain Band from being terminated by Congress and also his efforts brought the Rural Electrification Association to the reservation. Gourneau died in 1989.

Located in the North Dakota Heritage Center & State Museum in Bismarck, the Native American Hall of Honor is an annual program and exhibit recognizing Native Americans who have gone above and beyond in representing their tribe and culture. Information and objects relating to each inductee will be featured in the Hall of Honor exhibit at the State Museum.

The program is a partnership of the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission, the State Historical Society of North Dakota, the State Historical Society Foundation, and United Tribes Technical College.