Walter Bresette: Treaty Rights and Sovereignty – Wisconsin Biographies – PBS Wisconsin Education

How do you make history?

Walter Bresette worked passionately to educate others on issues like sovereignty, American Indian treaty rights, and environmentalism. A member of the Red Cliff Band of the Lake Superior Chippewa (Ojibwe), Walter emerged as a leader during the Northern Wisconsin spearfishing controversies of the 1980s; organizing rallies, making speeches, and publishing his writings on the causes he cared about.

Meet Walter Bresette

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Questions to Consider

Walter began his activism while he was a teenager, when he attended rallies for civil rights and against housing discrimination. How are these causes part of our lives today? Are there more causes that people are rallying for now? How might you take action about what is important to you?

During the Walleye Wars in the 1970s and 1980s, Walter documented some of the conflicts between community members having to do with treaty rights to hunt, gather, and fish. What have you learned about Wisconsin’s First Nations and treaty rights? What questions do you have?

Through his work, Walter sought to recognize and protect the lands and rights of First Nations people. How do you think his work is being continued today?

Peek Into the Past

Color photograph portrait of Walter Bresette. In the photo, his head and shoulders are visible. He is looking at the viewer with a slight smile on his face.

Walter Bresette

A photograph of Walter Bresette taken in 1999.

Image courtesy of Cass Joy.

A color photograph of a red brick building.

Holy Family School

Holy Family Catholic School was built in 1910. Walter attended the school from Kindergarten to eighth grade.

Image courtesy of Wisconsin Historical Society.

A black and white photograph of the national mall filled with people. The Washington Monument is visible in distance.

March on Washington

Almost 300,000 people gathered in Washington, DC, on August 28, 1963. They rallied to end segregation.

Image courtesy of National Archives. Identifier 542045.

A color photograph taken from a birds eye view looking down onto a dark green area where a white outline is in the shape of an animal.

Effigy Mound

Walter helped protect American Indian artifacts like effigy mounds.

Image courtesy of Wisconsin Historical Society. WHi-39007.

A color photograph of Walter standing at a microphone in front of a limestone building.

Walter Speaking

This photo shows Walter speaking at a rally in Madison, Wisconsin, on May 7, 1989.

Image courtesy of Cass Joy.

A color photograph of Walter, his three children and his friend, Rick Whaley.

Walter and Children

Walter with three of his children (from left to right: Katy, Robin, and Claudia).

Image courtesy of Cass Joy.

Walleye Warriors: This is the cover from the book Walter co-wrote.

Walleye Warriors

This is the cover from the book Walter co-wrote.

Image courtesy of Cass Joy.

A black and white photograph of Walter standing behind a microphone with his arms outstretched.

Walter’s Speeches

Walter gave many speeches about protecting the earth and American Indian rights.

Image courtesy of Cass Joy.

A black and white image with the text "Columbus and the 500 yeas: Discovering Historical Truths in Education" at the top and details about a speech Walter would be giving on September 10, 1991.

Speech Poster

A poster advertising a speech Walter gave.

Image courtesy of Cass Joy.

A black and white photograph of Walter seated next to another person. Both are wearing headsets and the other person is speaking into a handheld microphone.

Walter Interviewed

Here Walter is giving a radio interview.

Image courtesy of Cass Joy.

A black and white illustration showing a portrait of Walter surrounded by text describing the sale of artwork to benefit Walter's kids.

Walt Bresette Poster

A poster commemorating Walter’s life and accomplishments.

Image courtesy of Cass Joy.

An image of black cursive text on white paper.

Treaty Text

Ojibwe (left) and English statement to the US government, noting that promises made to the Ojibwe were not in the treaties (1864).

Image courtesy of Wisconsin Historical Society. WHi-113058.

A color still image of two children standing in a boat on the water at night, holding spears and looking down into the water with their headlamps creating spotlights on the water.

Night Spearfishing

Two Ojibwe boys spearfishing in northern Wisconsin (2014).

Image courtesy of PBS Wisconsin Education. “The Ways.”

Read On

Walter Bresette portrait illustration

Walter Bresette: Treaty Rights and Sovereignty

Get the full story with this biography book. Audio files are available on each page if you’d like to listen along!

Project Credits

Producer
Becky Marburger

Associate Producer
Joe Young

Animation
The Brave Union

Illustration
The Brave Union

Animation Narration
Audio recordings of Walter Bresette courtesy of Catherine Joy

Audiobook Narration
Jonathan Horne

Audiobook Editing
Kerman Eckes

Captioning
Catie Pfeifer
Vicki Way Kipp

Translation Services
University of Wisconsin-Madison Cultural Linguistic Services

Educator Support Materials
Mia Forslund

Web
John Vieth
Erika Kachama-Nkoy
Tim Schneider

Design
Charles Barrows

Executive Producer
Dan Kaplan

Special Thanks
Peggy Garties
Kristin Leglar

Story Advisors

Brenda Autz
Park Elementary School
Middleton, WI
(2015)

Pam Dempsey
James C. Wright Middle School
Madison, WI
(2021)

Charlene Dupler
Lakeview Elementary School
Wind Lake, WI
(2015)

Kurt Griesemer
Wisconsin Historical Society
Madison, WI
(2015)

Lisa Husnick
Lodi Elementary School
Lodi, WI
(2021)

Michelle Johnson
Hammond Community Library
Hammond, WI
(2021)

Kristen McDaniel
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Madison, WI
(2015)

David J. O’Connor
Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction
Madison, WI
(2015)

Susan Plewa
Gaenslen School
Milwaukee, WI
(2021)

Amanda Price
Marshall Elementary School
Marshall, WI
(2015)

Corey Thompson
Cardinal Stritch University
(2015)

Stephanie Unertl
Lake Mills Area School District
Lake Mills, WI
(2015)