Facebook Twitter Email
JUNE 4, 2001

The Washington Post ran a cover story on Kennewick Man and the debate over his origins in its Sunday magazine.

Managing editor Steve Coll will take questions and comments about his the article online today at 11 AM Eastern Standard Time. Comments may be submitted ahead of time.

A group of scientists, including an anthropologist from the Smithsonian, is suing the Department of Interior for the right to study Kennewick Man, a 9,000-year-old Native man discovered in 1996 on land the Confederated Umatilla Tribes ceded by treaty.

Former Secretary of Interior Bruce Babbitt ruled last year the bones should be returned to a coalition of five Northwest tribes, including the Umatilla.

The scientist who first examined the bones sparked debate when he said they didn't resemble Native people. When James Chatters constructed a mock-up of what Kennewick Man might look like, many said it resembled Capt. Picard from television's Star Trek: The Next Generation series.

In the article, Chatters says he was, in fact, watching the show when it came to him that Kennewick Man might resemble Patrick Stewart, the actor who played Picard.

Former Assistant Secretary Kevin Gover makes a brief appearance in the article.

Get the Story:
Sunday Magazine Cover: The Body in Question (The Washington Post 6/3)

Kennewick Man Reports and Data:
Kennewick Man (National Park Service)

Relevant Links:
The Kennewick Man case, Friends of America's Past - http://www.friendsofpast.org/kennewick_case.html

Related Stories:
Govt files Kennewick Man brief (5/18)
Scientists file Kennewick Man brief (4/19)
Kennewick Man lawsuit to proceed (10/26)
Where's the rest of Kennewick Man? (10/02)
Tribes ask scientists not to study Kennewick (09/27)
EDITORIAL: Let scientists study Kennewick (09/27)
Kennewick Man to go to tribes (09/26)
Spirit Cave, Kennewick may share fate (08/17)
Yakama intervention denied (Tribal Law 08/10)
Kennewick won't yield DNA (8/7)
Leaders discuss NAGPRA (7/27)
Repatriation panel supported (06/12)
Yakama Nation files Kennewick Man suit (06/01)
Kennewick testing to begin (4/24)