William L. "Willie" Hensley (born June 17, 1941), also known by his Iñupiaq name Iġġiaġruk (IPA: [eʁʁeɑʁʐuk]), is a semi-retired Democratic politician from the U.S. state of Alaska known for his work regarding Native Alaskan land rights.

[2] Hensley has also had an influential career outside of politics, as founder of the Northwest Alaskan Natives Association Regional corporation (NANA), where he served as president for 20 years.

[3] He also is a founder of Maniilaq, a not-for-profit organization that provides essential services for the tribes of Northwest Alaska.

[4] Since retiring from politics, Hensley has written a book titled Fifty Miles from Tomorrow: A Memoir of Alaska and the Real People.

[5] The book entails Hensley’s childhood growing up in rural Alaska with extended family and his journey as an Alaskan politician and native rights activist.

[6] His father was a Jewish Lithuanian fur trader who Hensley never met, and his mother was an Inupiat Eskimo from Kotzebue.

At a young age his mother gave him and his sister Saigulik to extended family that lived along the Noatak River delta.

Hensley and a handful of other Alaskan Natives tirelessly lobbied the government in Washington until 1971 when ANCSA was created and enacted.

[8] In this position he became responsible for Alaska's involvement in national tourism, international trade, seafood marketing, insurance and securities.

[8]  The state-wide organisation was initially created to assist Alaskan natives implement ANSCA and to set up the regional corporations required under the act.

[17] During the 60s, Hensley was involved in the AFN’s lobbying in Washington D.C for legislation to be enacted to recognise native land rights and claims in Alaska.

"Willie Hensley’s contribution to the implementation of the ANSCA led to becoming executive director of one of the regional corporations formed under the Act.

The corporation’s goals were to pursue land claims, prioritise Inupiat education, promote political participation, and to improve the overall condition of native living standards.

[21] To symbolise this solidarity NANA’s official symbol is an Iñupiaq hunter moving toward a successful future in a vast, beautiful and sometimes harsh world.

Hensley published his biography “Fifty Miles from Tomorrow ; a memoir of Alaska and the real people” on 23 December 2008.

[31] The book features photos and testimonies from Hensley’s childhood as he recounts growing up in northern Alaska and the hardships faced by him and his adoptive family.