Earl J. Barlow died on July 26, 2023, in Spokane, Washington. He was born on June 2, 1927, the son of Forrest J. Barlow and Vera Stewart Barlow, in Browning, Montana on the Blackfeet Reservation. He was reared on the reservation and was a member of the Blackfeet Tribe. He attended federal and public schools and at age sixteen was valedictorian of the 1944 graduating class of Browning High School. On his seventeenth birthday, he followed his older brothers into the U.S. Army to serve in World War II. He served in the Specialized Training Reserve Program and was sent to college at the University of Idaho and Stanford University. Honorably discharged at the war's end, he returned to Montana, enrolled in college, and graduated from the University of Montana Western with honors in 1948. While attending college, he met Arlene Albro, a beautiful musical education major from Willow Creek and he knew he had found the love of his life. He married Arlene in 1948 and embarked on a thirty-year career in public education at the elementary, secondary, and university levels in Montana.

He began his career in Hot Springs, Montana where he served as a teacher, coach, and superintendent of schools. During his tenure in Hot Springs, he convinced the school board to adopt a single salary schedule that eliminated the bias against female elementary school teachers. He also succeeded in establishing social security and health insurance coverage for all school district employees. Each of these endeavors was a landmark accomplishment in Montana's public education at the time.

In 1966, he became superintendent of the Stevensville public schools where he successfully added special education to the school curriculum. During his tenure in Stevensville, he was one of thirty educators selected from across the nation to serve on an education exchange program to the U.S.S.R.

From 1970 to 1973, he served as Supervisor of Indian Education in the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction for the State of Montana and was the first American Indian to serve in such a post. During the Montana Constitutional Convention in 1972, he successfully lobbied for the inclusion of a provision requiring the State of Montana to recognize the cultural integrity of American Indians. When the Constitution was adopted, Montana became the first and only state to so recognize American Indians.

In 1973, Barlow returned to the place of his birth and became the Superintendent of Schools in Browning, Montana. That same year, Montana Governor Thomas Judge appointed him to the State Board of Education. Barlow was the first American Indian to serve on this board.

Montana State University appointed Barlow as an adjunct professor and he taught graduate classes on the MSU campus and Blackfeet Reservation in the field of public school administration and organization. In 1979, he was awarded an honorary doctorate of humane letters by MSU in recognition of his contributions to Indian Education.

In 1979, Barlow accepted an appointment by the Carter administration to serve as Director of the Office of Indian Education within the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, D.C. In this new capacity, he oversaw a far-reaching restructuring of the BIA education system. Reforms established under his leadership are still in place today. He also implemented the Tribally Controlled Community College Act.

In 1982, during the Reagan administration, Barlow was appointed Area Director for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Minneapolis. As Area Director, he established goals and objectives that focused on economic development, strengthening tribal governments, and maintaining federal trust responsibility.

Barlow retired in 1994 and he and Arlene moved to Spokane, Washington to be near their grandchildren who attended area high schools and universities. Barlow was contacted by Tribal Chairman Glen Nenema to assist in the economic development of the Kalispel Tribe.

In 2010, the University of Montana dedicated the Payne Family Native American Center on the campus oval. This building celebrates the coming home of Montana tribes and is the first facility built exclusively for the Department of Native American Studies and American Indian Services in the United States. Earl Barlow's quote is inscribed on the exterior: "When wisdom is shared, knowledge exchanged and virtue glorified, a lodge becomes a wellspring of learning for all who enter."

In 2019, Montana Governor Steve Bullock proclaimed each June 2nd as Earl J. Barlow Day in Montana. The proclamation calls upon Montanans to recognize Barlow's lifetime of dedication towards enhancing Indian education, and Native American rights and for providing an endless source of knowledge and wisdom to future generations. The bond between Tribal Nations and the State of Montana has been made stronger because of the work of Earl J. Barlow and his career addressing the systemic challenges of ensuring civil rights and education for all, including American Indians.

In 2020, the University of Montana Western honored Barlow with a lifetime achievement award. This award is a fitting tribute to a lifelong outstanding educator.

He is survived by his wife Arlene of seventy-five years and his children Cheryl Rodgers, Spokane, Washington; Charlene Kallestad, Helena, Montana; Diane Barlow (David Laney), Dallas, Texas; Sheila Bong (David Bong), Eugene, Oregon; Michael Barlow, Minneapolis, Minnesota; and Marie Hartzfeld (Steve Hartzfeld), Dallas, Texas. He is also survived by his sister Alice Russell, twelve grandchildren, and nine great-grandchildren. He was devoted to his wife and children who inspired and sustained him.

Earl was passionate about education.  He highly valued the education he received and supported education for all.  As an expression of sympathy, memorial contributions may be sent to any of the following:

University of Montana Western Foundation

710 S Atlantic Street

Dillon, MT  59725

406-683-7305

https://www.umwfoundation.org

University of Montana Foundation

950 Arthur Ave.

Missoula, MT. 59812

406-243-2593

https://supportum.org

Montana State University Alumni Foundation

1501 South 11th Ave

Bozeman, MT  59715

406-994-2053

https://www.msuaf.org