This article provides a narrative analysis of the history of the Center for Indian Education at Arizona State University. As the premier center for native educational issues, the CIE played a crucial role in raising awareness about educational disparities on Indian reservations. The Center trained thousands of future teachers that have built lasting educational systems for native children across the country. In addition, the CIE shaped state and national educational policy by playing a historic role in the civil rights activities of the 1960s and 1970s. Today, the Center continues to contribute to educational training and policy across the state and country.