By: Senoria Williams

Education for Native Americans has never followed a standardized path. For Helen (Mitchell) Sanders and her family—the subject of a compelling new biography—schooling was either non-existent, restricted to a reservation Indian school, or immersed in small-town Americana. Despite these varied experiences, government policies toward Native education continue to leave a lasting impact on Indigenous communities.

From the late 19th to the mid-20th century, Native American education underwent profound transformations under policies aimed at forced assimilation. These measures, often implemented through harsh and punitive actions, sought to “civilize” Native children by severing them from their cultural heritage.

Sandra A. Crowell’s The Ravaged Forest: A Native Woman’s Journey to Justice provides an insightful and meticulously researched account of government treaties, laws, and policies as experienced through the life of Helen Sanders. Rather than merely recounting historical events, Crowell brings readers into the deeply personal struggle of a Native woman who fought tirelessly in Washington, D.C., to preserve the rights of her people.

Assimilation Through Education: A System That Took More Than It Gave

As Crowell illustrates, early education policies were driven by a desire to assimilate Native children into mainstream American society. The goal was to erase their language, customs, and identity, making them more palatable to Euro-American norms. Many children were forcibly removed from their families and placed in distant boarding schools, where they were forbidden from speaking their native languages or practicing their traditions. The abuses suffered in these institutions are only now being fully documented.

Helen Sanders’ father, George, attended a school on the Chehalis Reservation. While his experience may have been less severe than those in off-reservation boarding schools, the core issue remained: these institutions were designed to erase, rather than support, Native culture.

Helen’s mother, Daisy Ford Sanders, never attended school. She was hidden away in the coastal forests of Washington, possibly to protect her from being forcibly taken to an Indian boarding school. Deprived of formal education, Daisy lacked the knowledge needed to safeguard her rights as a Native landowner, an experience that would have profound consequences for her and her family.

Crowell’s careful documentation offers a balanced yet unflinching look at the long-term effects of these policies, allowing readers to grasp the depth of their impact.

A Changing Landscape: Day Schools and Cultural Preservation

By the mid-20th century, awareness of the harms caused by forced assimilation began to grow. A shift toward reservation-based day schools allowed Native children to remain with their families while receiving an education. Though these schools still emphasized mainstream curricula, they increasingly recognized the importance of cultural preservation—a trend that became even more prominent in the 21st century.

Crowell effectively balances the historical context with the personal impact on tribal communities. While Helen’s mother, Daisy, was left vulnerable due to her lack of formal education, Helen herself benefited from small-town schooling, which equipped her with the knowledge and tools to advocate for Native rights and legal reform. Despite her academic success, Helen remained deeply connected to her cultural heritage and committed to protecting the rights of Indigenous people.

Through the Ravaged Forest, Crowell paints a vivid picture of how Helen navigated these two worlds, ultimately becoming a formidable force for justice.

A Personal Triumph: Helen Sanders and the Legacy of Leadership

What makes The Ravaged Forest particularly compelling is Crowell’s ability to bring Helen Sanders’ personal journey to life. Born in 1927 near the banks of the Black River—shortly after her mother had milked the family cow—Helen’s journey took her from a small reservation home to the halls of Washington, D.C.

Helen’s grandson, William Thoms, recalls how the Sickman-Ford Bridge near Helen’s birthplace holds deep symbolic meaning. It not only links the physical landscape of Helen’s childhood but also represents the intersection of her Native lineage and the pioneer ancestry of her great-great-grandfather.

This dual identity became an asset in Helen’s legal and political work, particularly in her involvement in the landmark Mitchell case, which resulted in a $26.2 million settlement for Native allottees in 1989. The Supreme Court’s ruling held the U.S. government liable for damage to Indian timber lands. For Helen, then known as Helen Mitchell, this case was never about personal gain—it was about securing justice for her people.

Crowell’s meticulous research highlights Helen’s crucial role in shaping policies such as the Indian Land Consolidation Act. Helen’s leadership extended far beyond the Quinault Reservation, where she once owned a logging company. She later became a pioneering force for women in the timber industry and an influential advocate in national Native rights movements.

Her political engagement reached its peak when she served as a delegate at the 1988 Democratic National Convention, where she confidently commanded attention in rooms dominated by non-Native leaders. As Chehalis Tribal attorney Harold Chesnin remarked, “Shy is not a word I would use to describe Helen.”

A Woman of Humor, Strength, and Influence

Throughout the Ravaged Forest, Crowell highlights Helen’s resilience and captures her humor and warmth. One particularly memorable anecdote recounts how a prominent Washington, D.C., attorney arrived expecting to meet a burly lumberjack figure—only to be greeted by a petite, glamorous woman dressed in traditional Native attire.

Stories like these bring Helen’s personality to life. Whether she was hosting a traditional dinner featuring two kinds of salmon or standing firm in legal battles, Helen Sanders remained steadfast in her identity as a Native woman dedicated to justice.

Final Words

Sandra A. Crowell’s The Ravaged Forest: A Native Woman’s Journey to Justice is a powerful, well-researched, balanced examination of Native American policies and their enduring effects on Indigenous communities. By chronicling the life of Helen Sanders, Crowell offers both an intimate portrait of a remarkable woman and a broader analysis of education, legal battles, and resource management in Native American history.

For readers interested in Native American history, legal reform, or personal stories of triumph, The Ravaged Forest is an essential read. It serves as a potent reminder that, despite systemic challenges, individuals like Helen Sanders can leave a lasting impact—not just for their communities but for future generations.

Available in all formats at Amazon.com and other major retailers.

Published by Anne C.