18 Facts About Patricia Locke

Patricia Locke worked closely with indigenous activists in supporting the American Indian Religious Freedom Act.

Patricia Locke's son was a renowned hoop dancer, flute player, and storyteller Kevin Locke.

In 1935, Locke participated in a demonstration of Lakota culture in dance and story telling at a local junior high school with her father and mother.

Patricia Locke graduated from the University of California, Los Angeles in 1951.

Patricia Locke was married to Charles E Locke from 1952 to 1975; their son is Kevin Locke and daughter Winona Flying Earth.

Patricia Locke taught at University of California, Los Angeles, San Francisco State University, Alaska Methodist University, the University of Colorado, and the University of Southern Maine, to name a few.

Patricia Locke believed that there is a fundamental difference in values between Native Americans and Western society, and that Native Americans should have the autonomy to solve issues among themselves.

Patricia Locke saw to it her son Kevin was taught his heritage and sent him to the Institute of American Indian Arts for high school.

Patricia Locke spoke out against federal government regulations affecting Indian governments in 1978, supporting the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, and was appointed to the Interior Department Task Force on Indian Education Policy in 1979.

Patricia Locke spoke out against federal government regulations affecting Indian governments in 1978, supporting the American Indian Religious Freedom Act, which led to the establishment of religious freedom for indigenous groups that had previously been stripped away.

Patricia Locke played an instrumental role in the establishment of 17 different Indian colleges led and organized exclusively by indigenous groups in North America.

Patricia Locke assisted in the passing of the Tribally Controlled Community College Assistance Act of 1978, which guaranteed federal aid to tribally run community colleges as long as a majority of their student body and board committee were indigenous.

Patricia Locke was a strong supporter of the revisions to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act in 1994, which was passed by Bill Clinton.

Patricia Locke died while in Phoenix, Arizona, on October 20,2001, of heart-failure and was buried in nearby Paradise Valley, Arizona.

In 1991, Patricia Locke received the MacArthur Genius Grant for her work in the preservation of Native American languages.

At the time Patricia Locke received this award, she was the only indigenous woman of North America to ever receive this honor.

On October 13,2001, just one week before Patricia Locke passed away, she and her son Kevin Locke received the "Those Who Make a Difference" award presented by the Indigenous Language Institute.

Kevin Patricia Locke was recognized as an accomplished storyteller and hoop dancer who worked to preserve the Lakota tradition alongside his mother.