Had it not been for the people of Fort McDowell, the state of Indian gaming across Arizona, and indeed the entire country, might look very different these days.

Tomorrow, May 12, marks the 30-year anniversary since a simple act of peaceful protest had a far-reaching impact on the budding Indian gaming industry in the United States. Rather than forfeit some of their sovereignty and let their slot machines simply be loaded on a truck and hauled away, residents of Fort McDowell and their supporters stood as one against what they saw as an injustice and, in the months that followed, created some real change.

We’re skimming over the details here, but that’s because you can check out our 1A reporting for a full breakdown on the event and the impact that followed.

It’s a fascinating story and we encourage all of our readers to refresh their memory or read all about it for the first time.