Article · Wikipedia archive · Last revised Jul 15, 2026

Mel Thom

Melvin Thom was born on the Walker River Indian Reservation in Schurz, Nevada. A leader in the movement for Native American civil rights, Thom was one of the founders of the National Indian Youth Council in the 1960s.

Last revised
Jul 15, 2026
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Mel Thom
Born
Melvin Thom

(1938-07-28) July 28, 1938
Walker River Indian Reservation, Schurz, Nevada, U.S.
Alma materBrigham Young University
OccupationNative American civil rights activist

Melvin Thom (born July 28, 1938) was born on the Walker River Indian Reservation in Schurz, Nevada.1 A leader in the movement for Native American civil rights, Thom was one of the founders of the National Indian Youth Council in the 1960s.2

Background

Thom graduated from Lyon County High School in Yerington, Nevada and then studied civil engineering at Brigham Young University. At BYU, he was President of the Tribe of Many Feathers Club for three years and also President of the Southwest Regional Indian Youth Council.1

References

References

  1. Shreve, Bradley Glenn. "Red Power Rising: The National Indian Youth Council and the Origins of Intertribal Activism." p.159 Diss. U of Mexico, 2007.
  2. Cobb, Daniel M.(2008). Native Activism In Cold War America: The Struggle for Sovereignty, University Press of Kansas, Kansas. ISBN 978-0-7006-1597-1.