Samuel N. Penney Shares Accomplishments

By Agnes L. Weaskus

It was several months before the May 1989 Nez Perce Tribal General Council. The tobacco tax issue was a heated issue in Kamiah, Idaho. “The Tribe was getting beat up in the press. One day one of my aunts suggested I run for Nez Perce Tribal Executive Committee (NPTEC) by asking me, “Why don’t you run for NPTEC?” and my response was, “Maybe, I’ll ask grandma.” Penney’s Grandmother was the late Pauline Samuels from Kamiah. “She thought I should run and told me it was up to me,” Penney said. “My grandfather, Joe Samuels was on NPTEC. She later found his old brief case with some of his papers still in it. It was interesting to find some of his work from when he was in office,” Penney reminiscently said.

Sam Penney did decide to run for a seat on Tribal Council and won on the first round. That was May 1989 and Penney has been on the governing board ever since. The last fifteen years have taken Penney to numerous places in the country including Washington, D.C. where he and other NPTEC members met with various dignitaries, lawmakers and helped bring about changes along with other tribal advocates on Native American issues.

Sam Penney grew up in Kamiah and graduated form High School in 1973. He later attended Lewis-Clark State College in the late 1970s. He married Loretta Lawrence-Penney in 1980. They have two grown sons and a daughter in Kamiah High School. Penney’s parents are Joann Samuels-Jose and the late Ira Penney. He has two brothers and one sister in the field of education and one sister who works in the health related field. The siblings also had a younger brother who passed on as an infant.

Penney continues to carry on the traditions taught by his elders while growing up in Kamiah. “When we were growing up we didn’t have running water or an indoor aatinw’aas so, we knew what is was like to pack water, gather wood and work hard. When he has the opportunity, he likes to play golf, watch football and attend sporting events. Penney enjoys outdoor sports including hunting and fishing on the reservation and the traditional locations for such activities. He goes to the sweathouse regularly and it helps him to relax. Not many people know it, but he goes to church regularly when he is not on travel for the Tribe. He looks through the Bible and picks out scriptures that happen to be Grandma’s favorite scriptures,” informs his sister Susie Ellenwood. “The family gets together as often as we can especially during Mothers Day,” Ellenwood said. It is a time the family gather to enjoy memories and the Clearwater River, one of their favorite spots where Penney savors the sound of the river.

In December of 1999 Chairman Penney, at the time, was on the list of the top ten Idahoans of the 90’s who make a difference by helping Idaho State make positive changes for this century in the Idaho Statesman Newspaper of Boise. Penney and others were chosen because they exemplify or reflect the best of who we are and what we believe in. Penney was chosen because of his labors to protect the rights of Indians in the state of Idaho and the protection of natural resources. He was in the center of several controversies at the time including gaming and property ownership. His ability to work closely with state leaders gave him credibility and his ability to bring state tribes together on common issues demonstrated his strength in both arenas.

Penney was also recognized for his leadership and his significant contributions to the state of Idaho through the University of Idaho. Penney is recognized as being a tribal leader in addition to an outstanding citizen and public servant. Penney helped to lead the Nez Perce Tribe to assert and exercise its political, economic and cultural sovereignty. He was recognized as being a man of example by using his vision, a blend of traditional and contemporary insight with tireless energy to improve and maintain the Nez Perce way of life along with the quality of life for all Idahoans. “He is respected for his fair-minded, farsighted and patient approach to issues. Chairman Penney has continually championed respect for spirituality and religions, for family and community empowerment and for education and cultural development. He has been a tireless worker on behalf of the Nez Perce Tribe and for all American Indians, as well as a recognized leader in environmental protection and natural resource management,” as was written in the Commencement program for the Graduation Ceremony. Penney received the degree of Doctor of Administrative Science with all its rights, privileges, and responsibilities.

Penney received the President’s Medallion last year at the Lewis-Clark State College’s Commencement Ceremony in May 2003. Penney was recognized as a person who understands the importance of higher education for everyone, Indian and non-Indian in communities throughout the region. “At LCSC, Penney’s support and commitment have been demonstrated in numerous ways: accessibility as a government leader, endorsement of letters of support for important grants, and championing the multi-purpose activity center. Penney is also been active in assuring support services for Native American students at LCSC, offering his time and personal attention to students with special concerns,” as stated in the LCSC Graduation Program.

Penney serves on numerous advisory boards: Portland State University, University of Idaho, Washington State University, Lewis-Clark State College advisory board and LCSC Foundation, and the Albertson College of Idaho.

Penney is an active member of the Tribal Policy Board for Portland State University, Hatfield School of Government, Institute for Tribal Government, that provides training on tribal governance covering intensive classes on tribal, federal and state governance and underlying legal and policy foundations are studied. The board consists of nationally recognized tribal leaders, educators and public policy experts. The Board guides the overall program that includes review of curriculum and the Leaders of Modern Times video collection that is an ongoing project. Penney has been a speaker at Yale University for the School of Forestry and Environmental Studies addressing the history, policies, and programs of the National Park Service including the growth of the National Park System. Penney spoke on his coordinated efforts of the Nez Perce Tribe’s cultural and natural resources, intergovernmental relations with the National Park Service and other agencies. Penney has also spoken at Harvard University’s Kennedy School of Government and Harvard Law School about the Nez Perce Tribe. Additionally, Penney served on the Advisory Committee on the Interagency Task Force to Improve Hydroelectric Licensing Processes for the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission and currently serves on the leadership team of the Northwest Collaborative Air Priorities Project.

Penney encourages people wanting to go into tribal or political science to learn how Congress works, to understand how a bill becomes a law and learn the legislative process at various levels. People would benefit by further studying and learning how to petition the Supreme Court and functions of the executive branch of the government. Understanding politics and policy making is a real benefit to aspiring council members. NPTEC must keep up on what is happening in Washington, D.C. all the time.

Penney has a motto in his office he tries to live by daily said by the late Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and it reads, “The ultimate measure of a man is not where he stands in moments of comforts and conveniences, but in where he stands in times of challenge and controversy.”