Introduction
The following is an excerpt from Chief Del Riley’s book the Last President. Click here to order the paperback or a digital download. My life has been very intriguing. I’ve escaped death many times, I’ve overcome adversity, and I’ve learned to survive. This is my survivor’s story about achieving the entrenchment of Aboriginal rights in […]
Freedom
The following is an excerpt from Chief Del Riley’s book the Last President. Click here to order the paperback or a digital download. My mother once predicted that someday I would become great. I was not quite there yet. The year was 1955. I started to live with my dad, but was kicked out within the year. […]
Hell in 1950
The following is an excerpt from Chief Del Riley’s book the Last President. Click here to order the paperback or a digital download. I was born on January 4th, 1944 in Windsor, Ontario as a non-person according to the Canadian government. For me to properly tell my story, I need to tell you what Canadian society was […]
The Civil Rights Movement
The following is an excerpt from Chief Del Riley’s book the Last President. Click here to order the paperback or a digital download. In the Summer of 1967, I was living in Detroit. I had a great job, I was hanging out with my pals daily, life was good for all of us. Most First Nations people […]
Union Job
The following is an excerpt from Chief Del Riley’s book the Last President. Click here to order the paperback or a digital download. In 1972, I started work at the Union of Ontario Indians with no job description, and a general directive of “Go find some land claims, Riley!” from my Uncle Lyle. I began my job […]
The Anicinabe Park Standoff
The following is an excerpt from Chief Del Riley’s book the Last President. Click here to order the paperback or a digital download. The years rolled by and it was July, 1974 and I was about to have my first daughter Melanie. I was always on the road and my private life was difficult because of it. […]
National Office
The following is an excerpt from Chief Del Riley’s book the Last President. Click here to order the paperback or a digital download. By 1980, I had made my way up the political ladder and attended a lot of the national meetings as President of the Union of Ontario Indians. I was quite well known and organizations […]
Politics and Treaties
The following is an excerpt from Chief Del Riley’s book the Last President. Click here to order the paperback or a digital download. Saul Alinsky was a Chicago activist and writer, and he knew how to get results – just like Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Both leaders took the route of organizing non-violent protests to get […]