James Parker Shield is the founder of the National Native American Hall of Fame, an organization dedicated to honoring the achievements, leadership, and cultural impact of Native American trailblazers. A citizen of the Little Shell Band of Chippewa Indians of Montana, Shield has spent decades advocating for Native visibility and recognition across the United States. His work reflects a lifelong commitment to elevating Indigenous voices and preserving the legacies of those who have shaped Indian Country.

The National Native American Hall of Fame will help people understand how Native Americans overcame the hopelessness of early reservations, and the trauma of Indian boarding schools, poverty, discrimination, racism, and the cultural divide to not only adapt but, in many instances, achieve greatness, states Shield.

Shield is widely known as a community leader, advocate, and storyteller. His career includes work in media, cultural preservation, and policy engagement, always with a focus on expanding opportunities and visibility for Native people.