Ellie Bradley

One month shy of her 100th birthday, Helen Lamon passed away, surrounded by family who thought they knew her complete story. She had lived through the Dust Bowl, two world wars, and the invention of television—but the story she carried most carefully was one she never told.

Did you know that there are 574 Native American nations within the United States? And that number only counts the ones officially recognized by the US government. Even though it can be difficult to pinpoint capitals for every native nation, we found four across the US that you won’t want to miss!

Every spring, Brigham Young University’s Native Rights Seminar takes learning beyond the classroom and onto the road. The program culminates in a five-day journey through the homelands of Native nations, where students interact with and learn from community leaders.