Cheney in Spokane County, Washington — The American West (Northwest)

Lucy Friedlander Covington

(1910 – 1982)

Photographed By Jerry Klinger, May 8, 2019

1. Lucy Friedlander Covington Marker

Inscription. From the 1940’s – 1960’s, U.S. Indian Policy was Termination. The policy strove for Native American Tribes to sell their lands to the government. The Tribes would disband and “assimilate” into American society, ending their unique identities.

Covington was a member of the Colville Tribal Council when Termination was proposed. She recognized Termination would end the Colville people. Virtually alone at first, she fought Termination, Council member by member. The Council turned against Termination.

Covington repeatedly traveled to Washington, D.C. lobbying Congressional leaders why the Termination policy was an injustice to Native Americans. Covington’s efforts attracted broader and broader support from the Native American Communities. 1970, President Richard Nixon ended Termination.

Lucy fought for Colville rights. She ended protecting the rights and heritage of all Native Americans.

Covington was the great-granddaughter of Chief Moses. Her mother was Nellie Moses, granddaughter of Chief Moses. Lucy’s father, Louis Friedlander, was of Nez Perce/Okanagan and Jewish ancestry. For more on Lucy: ewu.edu/covington

Erected 2019 by Lucy Covington Center, Eastern Washington University, Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation.

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This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Native Americans • Women. In addition, it is included in the Former U.S. Presidents: #37 Richard M. Nixon, and the Jewish American Society for Historic Preservation. series lists.

Location. 47° 29.431′ N, 117° 34.95′ W. Marker is in Cheney, Washington, in Spokane County. Marker can be reached from Media Lane. Near Williamson Hall on Eastern Washington University Campus. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 339 Media Ln, Cheney WA 99004, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 14 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies. Battle of Four Lakes (approx. 5 miles away); The Battle of Spokane Plains (approx. 11 miles away); Rebecca Jane “Reba” Hurn (approx. 12.8 miles away); Temple Beth Shalom (approx. 13.3 miles away); The Bill of Rights (approx. 13.7 miles away); Walter F. Horan Plaza (approx. 13.7 miles away); John Robert Monaghan (approx. 13.7 miles away); Thomas S. Foley United States Courthouse (approx. 13.7 miles away).

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Lucy Friedlander Covington (1910 – 1982) Marker image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Jerry Klinger, May 8, 2019

2. Lucy Friedlander Covington (1910 – 1982) Marker

this marker. Lucy Friedlander said, "If an Indian doesn’t have land, he has nothing.” In nine words she summarized the meaning and the importance of her life fight to end Termination.

Also see . . . Lucy Friedlander Covington “The Native American, Martin Luther King” – With Jewish. “Lucy Friedlander Covington was extraordinary. Her grandfather Herman Friedlander was Jewish and her grandmother an Entiat tribal woman. According to Lucy, neither of the couple learned the other’s language, so their seven children spoke both Jewish/German and Entiat.” CHARLES TRIMBLE Oglala Lakota (Submitted on May 25, 2019, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida.)

Additional keywords. Native American Rights, land, culture, identity

Credits. This page was last revised on January 7, 2021. It was originally submitted on May 21, 2019, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. This page has been viewed 395 times since then and 25 times this year. Photos: 1. submitted on January 7, 2021, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. 2. submitted on May 21, 2019, by Jerry Klinger of Boynton Beach, Florida. • Bill Pfingsten was the editor who published this page.