The first federally recognized tribal nation in Illinois has been established after a federal decision placed 130 acres into trust.
The U.S. Department of the Interior placed parts of Shab-eh-nay Reservation land in DeKalb County into trust for the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, giving the tribal nation over the land.
That means the land 鈥� which sits just southeast of Shabbona, about 70 miles west of Chicago and was purchased by Prairie Band years ago 鈥� will be governed by the tribal nation, which is now eligible for federal benefits and protections as a result.
The title for the land was signed over on Friday by Prairie Band Chairman Joseph Rupnick.
The decision is part of attempts to correct the 鈥渉istoric injustice鈥� that occurred 175 years ago when the U.S. government auctioned off nearly 1,300 acres of Prairie Brand鈥檚 land in northern Illinois while Chief Shab-eh-nay was visiting family in Kansas, according to the tribal nation.
Rupnick, the fourth-generation great grandson of Chief Shab-eh-nay, said it was a 鈥渟ignificant step in the pursuit of justice for our people and ancestors鈥�
鈥淧rairie Band has sought to continue our history as an original part of DeKalb County and right historical wrongs,鈥� Rupnick said in a . 鈥淲e have been asking for this recognition and for what is rightfully ours for nearly 200 years, and we are grateful to the U.S. Department of Interior for this.鈥�
U.S. Rep. Lauren Underwood, D-Naperville, who co-sponsored legislation to help return the land to Prairie Brand, said it was the first step on the government鈥檚 end to 鈥渃orrect a historic injustice.鈥�
鈥淥ur federal government unlawfully sold the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation鈥檚 land in Illinois,鈥� Underwood said in a statement. 鈥淭he decision to put portions of the Shab-eh-nay Reservation into Trust is an important step to returning the land that is rightfully theirs.鈥�
A in the Illinois statehouse filed in February would give Shabbona State Park, a total of about 1,500 acres, to the Prairie Band as well, though that legislation has yet to make it out of committee.
A Prairie Band spokesperson said if the bill is approved, the park would remain open to the public.
The legislation 鈥� which has been on hold pending a land appraisal 鈥� would require the Prairie Band to maintain the land as a public conservation area, or else face a multimillion dollar fine from the federal government, according to the bill鈥檚 sponsor, state Rep. Mark Walker, D-Arlington Heights.
Walker said he鈥檚 confident the bill will advance, calling it a way to right historic wrongs 鈥渨ithout too much harm鈥� to those who live on the land taken from Chief Shab-eh-nay.
鈥淭his issue is kind of a shame in our history that we just have to resolve,鈥� Walker said. 鈥淚f there鈥檚 a way to resolve it, we ought to do it.鈥�
The tribal nation also said they wanted to pursue the 鈥渓east disruptive path鈥� to regaining their land, and said all current homeowners there will retain the titles to their homes and can continue living 鈥渦ndisturbed.鈥� No plans currently exist but the tribal nation said it is evaluating different potential uses for the land.
Prairie Band leaders previously proposed a gaming facility for the land in 2016, but those plans never materialized.
This story as originally published in the Chicago Sun-Times, part of Chicago Public Media.
