Dr. Leroy Little Bear

Dr. Leroy Little Bear, a respected Blackfoot scholar and advocate from the Kainai First Nation in Southern Alberta, is renowned for his lifelong contributions to Indigenous education, rights, and governance. A trailblazer in academia, he was a founding member of the Native American Studies program at the University of Lethbridge and later served as Director of the Native American Program at Harvard University. He was instrumental in shaping the United Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples and advancing the Bachelor of Management in First Nations Governance.

Born and raised on the Blood Reserve, Little Bear’s educational journey began at St. Mary’s Residential School and culminated in a Juris Doctor degree from the University of Utah. His work includes co-authoring foundational texts on Indigenous self-government and playing a pivotal role in the Buffalo Treaty. Honoured with the Order of Canada and the Alberta Order of Excellence, he remains a powerful voice in Indigenous resurgence and reconciliation.