History of the California Center for Native Nations

The University of California, Riverside (UCR) has two campuses—one in Riverside and one in Palm Desert—which are located on and near the homelands of the Cahuilla, Serrano, Chemehuevi, Luiseño, Kumeyaay, Cupeño, and Tongva Indians.

Rupert Costo (Cahuilla) and Jeannette Henry Costo (Cherokee) helped found UC-Riverside in the mid-twentieth century. In 1986, the Costos created the Costo Chair of American Indian Affairs at UCR, the first chair in the nation endowed directly by American Indians. Later, they established the Costo Library of the American Indian and Costo Archives, a unique collection dedicated to understanding the history and role of self-determination policy in Indian Country.

Inspired by the generosity and vision of Rupert and Jeannette Costo, the California Center for Native Nations (CCNN) represents UC Riverside’s ongoing commitment to research and service benefiting California Indians. In building upon the academic strengths of the College and UCR’s unique connections with regional tribal leaders, the Center’s core activities address a central question:

“How can tribal governments in California maximize their sovereign rights in ways that are culturally appropriate, economically sustainable and politically interactive?”