A Trailblazer for Justice, the Earth, and American Indian Law

Charles Wilkinson, Moses Lasky Professor of Law Emeritus and Distinguished Professor, died on June 6, 2023.

After graduating from Stanford Law School and practicing with prestigious firms in Phoenix and San Francisco, Wilkinson embarked on a remarkable career that encompassed teaching, writing, and advocating for the rights of Indigenous peoples and the environment. In 1971 he joined the newly formed Native American Rights Fund (NARF) in Boulder as a staff attorney, helping to shape the organization’s pathbreaking advocacy for tribes.

Together with the late Dean David Getches, Professor Richard Collins, and current NARF Executive Director John Echohawk, Wilkinson helped to secure landmark victories in tribal treaty rights litigation and establish a relationship between Colorado Law and NARF that endures to this day.

Wilkinson was a passionate and inventive teacher and mentor, educating and inspiring thousands of students and scores of colleagues at law schools throughout the country. As his colleagues and students would attest, Wilkinson left an indelible mark, not just on legal education and scholarship but on those attributes that are the very essence of the American West.

Most of Wilkinson's teaching career was spent at the Oregon and Colorado law schools, where his influence and impact were deeply felt. In 1997 the regents of the University of Colorado recognized Wilkinson as a Distinguished Professor, one of only 25 at the university. His gift for teaching and deep commitment to research were repeatedly acknowledged through numerous teaching and research awards throughout his illustrious career. Wilkinson was famous for hiring law students as research assistants and sending them out into the world to learn about legal problems. These opportunities were often life-changing, with dozens of his students going on to practice Indian law and public land law over the decades.

A prolific writer, Wilkinson authored 14 books, which stand as seminal works that shaped the fields of Indian law and federal public land law. These include highly regarded casebooks and general audience books, including Crossing the Next Meridian, which tackled pressing issues related to land, water, the West, Indigenous rights, and the complex histories that shape our nation. His writings, marked by their clarity and profound insights, resonated with scholars, practitioners, and the public, making him an influential voice in legal and environmental discourse. He was an early thought leader in the field of environmental justice, seeing early on that the rights of Native Americans had to be considered at the heart of public lands and conservation policy.

“Charles Wilkinson was fully present in everything he did. His passion for advocacy was admired widely and revered by those whose voices he elevated. He was a creative and enthusiastic educator whose style infected his students with a fervor for the American West. He was a prolific and creative scholar and author who put difficult and novel ideas into words that enabled others to grasp concepts that had not been previously enunciated. Farewell, Charles. Thank you for sharing your zeal for life. Thank you for the difference you have made in so many lives. May those of us touched by him carry on his legacy of curiosity, warmth, and excellence.”

Don Brown '89

Beyond the classroom, the written word, his work with tribes, and support for students, Wilkinson devoted himself to numerous special assignments for the U.S. Departments of Interior, Agriculture, and Justice. His expertise was sought after, and he played instrumental roles in critical negotiations and policy development. From facilitating agreements between the Timbisha Shoshone Tribe and the National Park Service to serving as a special advisor for the creation of Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monument and Bears Ears National Monument, Wilkinson's successes extended far beyond the confines of academia.

Wilkinson's exceptional achievements were recognized through a multitude of prestigious awards and honors. These accolades include the National Wildlife Federation's National Conservation Award, which acknowledged his unwavering commitment to the preservation of our natural heritage. The Earle A. Chiles Award from the Oregon High Desert Museum celebrated his career-long dedication to the High Desert region, while the Twanat Award from the Warm Springs Museum recognized his tireless work in support of Indian people.

Wilkinson's visionary leadership and dedication to the Colorado Plateau were honored with the John Wesley Powell Award from the Grand Canyon Trust. Additionally, the Federal Bar Association bestowed upon him the Lawrence R. Baca Award for Lifetime Achievement in Indian Law, recognizing his profound contributions to the field. In 2021 the Colorado Center for the Book and Colorado Humanities honored Wilkinson with the Colorado Book Awards Lifetime Achievement Award for his contributions to the literary, history, and legal communities in Colorado and nationwide.

Wilkinson’s legacy will continue to inspire generations to come, as those who knew him directly and those who were touched through his work strive to emulate his vision, passion, and commitment to creating a more just and sustainable world.

To make a gift in memory of Charles to the law school, please visit giving.cu.edu/WilkinsonMemorial.