Tuesday, February 28, 2006

News today that Keith Carlson's research has had an an impact. By adding documentary evidence to the oral traditions of the people of the Stó:lo nation, Keith was able to reconstruct the tragic story of a young native boy lynched in 1884 by a mob of white men crossing over into B.C. territory from Washington State. Neither government disgintuished itself in the ensuing investigation, and nobody was ever brought to justice for the killing. A recent film documentary based on Keith's work helped spread the story to a wider audience, including the Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, Iona Campagnolo. Her polite but firm diplomacy backed by Keith's research has now resulted in the Washington State House of Representatives preparing to issue a formal resolution intended to "address errors committed by both the U.S. territorial and Canadian goverments" and to extend "deepest sympathies" on behalf of the government of Washington State to the descendents of Louis Sam. Click here to learn more.

The Right Honourable Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, Iona Campagnolo, who saw to it that the truths Keith's research revealed would be acknowledged.