A stone eagle sits on a black stone pillar with a picture of Helen Jean (Charwood) Bryan outside of the small tan and green White Oak Casino in Deer River.
The new monument honors the 50th anniversary of Bryan v. Itasca — a landmark U.S. Supreme Court case. Bryan and her husband Russell Bryan were the lead plaintiffs in the case. Decided in June 1976, the case paved the way for the tribal gaming industry.
Phil Johnson, general manager at White Oak Casino, said the biggest reason for the monument is to educate people.
“If you go talk to even our own Native kids, I bet you 80% of them don’t even know about this stuff,” Johnson said.
