Big Pine in Inyo County, California — The American West (Pacific Coastal)
Alice Piper Memorial
Piper vs. Big Pine (1924)
Photographed by Craig Baker, October 25, 2026
1. Alice Piper Memorial Marker
"Fighting for Education, a Paiute Student Breaks Down Barriers"
Alice Piper, daughter of Pike and Annie Piper, was a 15-year-old Paiute girl living in Big Pine, California in 1924. She, along with other Indian students in Big Pine, wanted to attend Big Pine High School, but was denied because state law prohibited Native Americans' attendance if an Indian School was nearby. Piper sued the school district claiming the state law establishing separate schools for Indian children was unconstitutional.
The State Supreme Court ruled in her favor. Due to this historic action, the Big Pine School District and Alice Piper are memorialized as major players in the constitutional battle over the rights of Native Americans to attend public schools. The decision has been used as a precedent in other cases such as Brown vs. Board of Education.
Piper vs. Big Pine (1924) 193 Cal 664
Honoring equal education for all.
Topics. This historical marker and memorial is listed in these topic lists: Civil Rights • Education • Indigenous Peoples and Communities. A significant historical year for this entry is 1924.
Location. 37° 9.708′ N,
this page online
Regionally, this marker and memorial is in the Sierra Nevada. It is also in the American Mountain West. Globally, it is in North America, on the Ring of Fire, on the Pacific Rim, in the Western Hemisphere, in the Western World, and in the Anglosphere. Historically, it finds itself in what was once New Spain and also Mexico’s Alta California.
Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 8 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Big Pine Cemetery District (approx. 0.6 miles away); Inyo County Hospital and Farm (approx. 0.6 miles away); Westgaard Pass Toll Road (approx. 0.8 miles away); Big Pine Veterans Memorial (approx. 0.8 miles away); The Roosevelt Tree (approx. 0.8 miles away); Zurich Station (approx. 2.1 miles away); The Millimeter Interferometer (approx.
Photographed by Craig Baker, October 25, 2026
2. Alice Piper Memorial Statue and Plaque
Photographed by Craig Baker, October 25, 2026
3. Alice Piper Memorial
In front of the 1921 Big Pine School building.
Photographed by Craig Baker, October 25, 2026
4. School Sign
Photographed by Craig Baker, October 25, 2026
5. Sign Detail
Credits. This page was last revised on October 29, 2026. It was originally submitted on October 25, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California. This page has been viewed 23 times since then. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on October 25, 2026, by Craig Baker of Sylmar, California.
