Jul. 18—BEMIDJI — The city of Bemidji will raise the Red Lake Nation flag on Friday, July 25, in honor of Roger A. Jourdain Day, celebrated every July 27. The flag will stay up throughout the weekend.
Roger Jourdain was elected in 1959 as the Red Lake’s first tribal leader. Jourdain served for 31 years and passed away in 2002 at the age of 89.
The holiday was first recognized in 2011 when former Bemidji Mayor Dave Larson signed a proclamation that designated July 27 as Roger A. Jourdain Day.
Jourdain was an influential leader who was known for fighting in Washington, D.C., to maintain Red Lake’s sovereign status. He also helped establish the Minneapolis Indian Health Board, the Minnesota Indian Scholarship program, the Red Lake Nation Tribal Information Center, the Red Lake Library and the Jourdain/Perpich Nursing Home.
Those interested in learning more about Jourdain can visit the Red Lake Library’s archives, where tribal records and historical material are preserved.
