OLD Media News

Founder of American Indian Press Association passes away

Charles Trimble

Charles Trimble, an Oglala Lakota journalist, a former leader of the National Congress of American Indians and founder of the American Indian Press Association has died at the age of 84.

Trimble passed away due to natural causes Monday in Omaha, Nebraska, his daughter, Kaiti Fenz-Trimble, announced on Facebook.

Trimble founded the American Indian Press Association in the 1970s, citing a lack of coverage of Native American issues. He was then elected executive director of the National Congress of American Indians, an organization established to protect tribes’ sovereign rights.

“I was fortunate to have served through the decade most prolific in the enactment of legislation for new policy, programs, and resources, as well as executive actions favorable to Indian tribes and off-reservation Indian communities,” Trimble wrote in an address for the group’s 2009 convention. “These included the Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act, the Indian Financing Act, the Indian Health Care Improvement Act and unprecedented return of significant lands to tribes.”

He also helped start a newspaper on the Colville Reservation in Washington state to inform people about the implication of termination, the federal government’s effort from the 1940s to the 1960s to disband tribes.

“His passing has left a big hole in the field of Native American journalism,” fellow Oglala Lakota journalist and publisher Tim Giago wrote in the Rapid City Journal.

In addition to his daughter and her husband, Trimble is survived by his wife, Anne.

Trimble graduated from the University of South Dakota, served in the U.S. Army and later studied journalism at the University of Colorado.

Mariam Ahmed

Recent Posts

Indianapolis Biz Journal seeks a news editor

The Indianapolis Business Journal is looking for our next news editor, a role that focuses…

13 hours ago

Axios hires Berkowitz as ME for media and markets coverage

Axios has chosen Ben Berkowitz to be its next managing editor of business and markets.…

18 hours ago

Business Insider hires Ortega as director of newsroom operations

Business Insider editor in chief Jamie Heller sent out the following on Monday: I'm thrilled…

18 hours ago

Rest of World promotes Chandran to deputy editor

Rest of World editor in chief Anup Kaphle sent out the following on Monday: We are excited…

19 hours ago

FT hires Venugopal as India newsletter editor

The Financial Times has hired Veena Venugopal as its India newsletter editor. She has been working at…

19 hours ago

FT taps Parkin to be Middle East and Africa news editor

Benjamin Parkin has been named Middle East and Africa news editor at the Financial Times, based…

22 hours ago