Tribal Government: Wind River Reservation

For generations, understanding the government of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho tribes has been essential to understanding Wyoming itself. Yet many Wyoming citizens have had limited access to clear, accurate information about how tribal government works, how it developed, and why it matters to the state today.

Tribal Government: Wind River Reservation offers an accessible, updated introduction to that story. First published in the early 1990s to help students and citizens better understand the Wind River Indian Reservation, the book has long served as a foundational resource for educators, policymakers, and community members. This new 2025 edition-fully revised and expanded-reflects more than three decades of significant legal, political, and structural changes in tribal governance.

Drawing on the original work of Janet Flynn, and enriched by new scholarship, editorial contributions, and firsthand expertise, this edition traces the evolution of governance among the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho:

- Early systems of leadership and traditional governance

- The complex history that led two distinct nations to share a single reservation

- The formation and operation of modern tribal councils and courts

- Contemporary issues shaping sovereignty, education, land use, and intergovernmental relations

- A new comprehensive chapter on Indian gaming and its impact on tribal economies

Developed in partnership with WyoHistory.org, Wyoming's online encyclopedia, this edition is designed as a "living" resource-grounded in history, aligned with Indian Education for All standards, and prepared for future updates as tribal, state, and federal policies continue to evolve.

Whether used in classrooms, government offices, or community settings, Tribal Government: Wind River Reservation provides essential context for anyone seeking to understand how tribal governments function, how they collaborate with state and federal partners, and how the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho nations continue to exercise sovereignty, adapt to new challenges, and shape the future of Wyoming.

Author: Janet Flynn
Publisher: Wordsworth Publishing LLC
Published: 01/12/2026
Pages: 170
Binding Type: Paperback
Weight: 0.60lbs
Size: 8.50h x 5.50w x 0.46d
ISBN: 9798993960005

About the Author
Flynn, Janet: - Janet Flynn was a graduate student at the University at Albany when she took on the project of researching and writing a book about the tribal government of the Wind River Indian Reservation. She was recruited by Scott Ratliff, a legislator and educator and member of the Eastern Shoshone Tribe. Flynn spent months in Wyoming interviewing elders and tribal leaders from both the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho Tribes and gathering research materials. Her work resulted in the first edition of Tribal Government: Wind River Indian Reservation, a book that remained a valuable resource for educators and legislators for more two decades. Janet went on to a long career as a professional Management and Organization Development Specialist in Colorado.Baldwin, A. W.: - A graduate of the University of Idaho School of Law, Baldwin has practiced law for more than 35 years. He began his career with a poverty law fellowship award on the Wind River Indian Reservation in Wyoming. He has appeared before the U.S. Supreme Court, Ninth and Tenth Circuit Courts of Appeal, and other Federal, Tribal, and State Courts. He won the right of the Northern Arapaho Tribe to operate (and self-regulate) the full gamut of casino-style gaming without state control. He has successfully litigated First Amendment religious liberties, voting rights, Tribal sovereignty, and for environmental justice. He has written nine award-winning outdoor thriller/mysteries.Smith, Shannon D.: - Shannon D. Smith is a historian, writer, and cultural heritage consultant whose work centers on the American West, Indigenous history, and public humanities. She serves as President of the Mari Sandoz Heritage Society, where she continues her longtime commitment to advancing the legacy of Mari Sandoz and the cultural history of the Northern Plains. Smith is also a longstanding member of the Western History Association (since 2009) and serves on both the Board of Advisors of the Nebraska State Historical Society and the Board of Advisors of the American Heritage Center at the University of Wyoming, reflecting her broad engagement in regional and national historical communities.An accomplished writer and public historian, Smith has published widely on women of the West and Indigenous histories. As editor of Tribal Government: Wind River Reservation, she brings together years of experience interpreting the intertwined histories of the Eastern Shoshone and Northern Arapaho nations.