City in Sound; American Indian Center

This is Jim Herbert, holding the microphone to catch the city and sound. A very small sound, almost lost in the cacophony of a big city, the voice of the American Indian. Columbus, Kiana, American Indian, Sack Fox from Tama, Iowa, one of the few thousand Indians from tribe scattered across the nation who've left the reservation and come to Chicago, Arapahoes, Sues, Chippewas, Navajos, Seneca's, many other tribesmen, forced by economic pressures to leave their homes to seek opportunity in a city which began its own life as an Indian village on the shores of Lake Michigan. Frightened, bewildered alone, they had few opportunities to find a friendly companionship they needed until the inception of the American Indian Center a half dozen years ago. Now this unique

institution supplies many basic needs, companionship, recreation, council, protection. Many people tell it story. Mr. Robert Reads, you're the executive director of the American Indian Center here in Chicago. Yes, I am, Mr. Robert. I've been here very long but I've known about the center since its beginning. What is the purpose of an Indian center in a big city like Chicago? Well, its major purpose is to provide a place for Indian people to get together and support one another, to help one another in terms of their morale and to carry on with the activities that they like, to preserve the things they love, while they become citizens of Chicago. Do you think it's important for Indians to have a place to meet in a city like this? I think it's very important. An Indian coming in from, let's say, the Western reservations meets his first experience in a city life, in a city of large in Chicago. There are a lot of problems for him to face, new things for him to

learn. And with a group of other people who are Indians who know something about these things, he can get no information but a little support. You mentioned support before and I was going to ask you about that. What do you mean by support? By support, I mean the fact that other Indians have been able to solve these kinds of problems, gives him a reassurance that he should be able to, too. And secondly, sometimes a problem is a large one just because you don't know a lot about it. It's a lot of unknown factors involved. But someone else who has gone through it can take it apart and give you informally the information that you need. Did you feel reassured and more confident? And is this kind of support I'm talking about rather than money or gifts or somethings? I might point out at this point that you are a non -Indian and you're an anthropologist. And let's talk a little bit more about you for a moment. You've been in work with Indians before this time. Yes,

I've been working with Indian people now for a little over eight years since I left the University of Chicago in 1950. Where did you go from there, Ms. Reed? I went from there to North Dakota to a Fort Berthold Reservation. Remember, they're building a garrison dam there and the Indians were needing to relocate from their valley. This has been a long story for Indians in this country. You're needing to relocate for one reason or another, most because somebody wants to move into the place they're living. That's right, and it's still going on. For many reasons, with garment installations, are opening up reservation lands for leasing. Indians are still facing this problem. I know there are several that are in the news today. The Seneca people, for example, have a big battle on their hands about the New York State, about the dam that's being built there. Do you think that this is one reason that Indian people come into a metropolitan area like Chicago to escape this business of being moved around? That at least here you can establish yourself as an individual? That's one very good reason. I think another probably most important reason

is that we have made so little effort to provide an opportunity on the reservations for Indians to make a living and make a career for themselves as they learn more and more of the good things that this population have and the things they can learn. You mean that people aren't satisfied with learning underwater basket weaving or something of that sort to sustain themselves? That's right, which sounds fairly reasonable. Now, the American Indian Center here in Chicago is a community fund organization, is it not? Yes, it is. We remember it today. That is because what is the reason that it receives funds from the community fund? Because it is a social agency and it maintains certain standards in personnel and in the kinds of services and the quality of services that they can offer people who need help in making adjustment to this environment. And it qualifies as a social agency, both from its purpose and its staff. What is your name? My name is Josephine Blackbird. Why did you come up to the center, Josephine? Well, I heard it was the center

for the Indian people and I thought by coming here I would meet other people that I knew from school days. Have you? Yes, I have. What sort of activity goes on here at the center? Well, they have dancing, Indian dancing, singing and they have other dancing for the teenagers and they have either just playing social gatherings, visiting. Where are you from originally? From Nebraska. What are you all like today? Omaha. Are there a lot of Omaha's up here? There aren't too many of them. Of course, there aren't many Omaha's. It's a small tribe, actually. What's the biggest tribe that's represented in Chicago? The Seas. More Seas? Of course, that's one of the biggest nations anyway in the country. How often do they have dances? Every Saturday. Do you come to the dances? Yes, I do. So the father of Omaha's wanted to meet

Josephine Blackbird, they could meet her here. Is that right? Well, he could so. Mr. Hardy, how long have you been in Chicago? One week. That's a long time. Actually, you're new to the American Indian Center here in Chicago, but you're not new to work of this sort. No. Where were you before you came here? In Minneapolis. What did you do up there? I was a department supervisor for a special project called the American Indian Center. What kind of an Elliott Park neighborhood house? They have a special program for Indians. The American Indian Project, don't you call it? What sort of activities did you engage in up there? Well, I mean, not you as an individual, but Indians as a group. Well, there was the first year to begin with. We had a special Saturday afternoon program

for the children. And in the evenings, we would go into powerhouse and social gatherings with the older people. This was weekly for the children and by weekly with the older people. Do you think, Mr. Hardy, that there is a danger of the American Indians losing their heritage of culture by virtue of being forced economically to come into cities and work? And is this a part of the effort that you were engaged in to preserve this heritage of culture? Not actually. I think in settlement work, the job is to orient people to city life. And the settlement house that I was connected with had the philosophy of orienting the people. So that they become

to know and become advised of the ways of the city life. So that from there on, they can integrate into the community. What about your own experience or what tribe? I am a Chippewa. And where did you live when you were a youngster? Well, the first 17 years I have lived in the reservation. Where was that? In northern Minnesota, a red lake reservation. And then from then on, I went off to school in South Dakota. And since, I have been back to the reservation sporadically. The single or living there actually? Well, living a few years and then leaving for other parts of the country. How long have you been engaged in social work? Three years. Do you think that this is, to you individually as a stimulating thing?

Yes, it is. Here in Chicago, do you think looking ahead and projecting what your activity is going to be here? Do you think it will be pretty much what it was in Minneapolis? Or do you think there is more of a challenge here in a bigger city? Well, a bigger challenge, of course. A city like Chicago, which is much bigger than Minneapolis, certainly is going to have bigger problems. Hi. Hi. What's your name? My name is Rose Ridley. Where are you from? I'm from Black to Flambo, Wisconsin. Is that an Indian reservation up in that area? Yes, it is. What tribe are you in? I'm a Chippewa Indian. That's a big tribe in the middle of it, isn't it? A lot of Chippewas. How long have you been in Chicago? I've been here since 1942 and have gone home several times for certain lengths of time, and then I have come back and stayed here all the time since then. Of course, the center has only been

organized about three years now. Since 1953, I think it was. In other words, when you were here originally, there wasn't a center to come to. No, when I was here, when I first came in 1942, there was no center here then. Do you like the center? Oh, yes. I do very much. Do you think that I think it's true that Indians like to laugh? Is there a lot of laughter here at the center? Oh, yes. There is a lot of it. Lots of practical joking going on at times. Yes, a lot of practical joking about different things. Like what? About the hours, especially, if they make an appointment for 330, they don't usually get together and start until around four or something like that and they call that Indian time or something like that. Well, thank you very much for giving me as a part of your Indian time. David Fox, what is your tribe? I'm Adawa from Northern Ontario, Canada. And you're the director of youth activities here at the center. I was talking

to Mr. Hardy about the youth activities, the dances and the youth club meetings. What's the purpose of this kind of activity at the center? Well, the purpose is to stimulate more interest and developing a feeling of fellowship among Indians and non -Indians. You well know that everybody is welcome at center at any time and participate in the activities that we try to provide. Even a lot of youngsters, Indian youngsters coming into Chicago from reservations from rural areas. I imagine it's quite a transition for them to this city life. Do they run into problems here? Unfortunately, they run into problems that are overwhelming. What do you mean? Well, when they leave their reservations, the dream of the nicer things

in the city and living in luxury and actually don't even... I don't think grasp the idea of the problems that could be involved or that aren't involved in the city. And unfortunately, when they do come in, first feeling they get is the feeling of loneliness. And because they can't adopt themselves to any group or walk into any place and say, well, here I am. Like on a reservation, everybody is well acquainted with each other. If there's any facilities, they're available and welcome to them. In a city like Chicago, there's practically no place where I know where an Indian youth or a young person can go to relieve this tension that's built up. And so as a result, when the center was formed, one of the ideas, basic ideas, was to implement a program for young people. They can come down and participate in youth activities or organize as a club and form athletic teams, social

gatherings, dances, and promote either tours throughout the city and learn more interesting parts of the city. How about kids that get in here and get into trouble when they first get into town? Does the center do anything to reclaim these youngsters, get them back on a straight track and clear up their confusion? Well, yes, we encourage all the young people to come down and participate in any of the activities that we have here. I don't quite understand when you say... Well, first let's take a hypothetical case, David. Suppose we get a boy that comes into town and he runs into another group of youngsters in their late teens, early 20s. They get on the west side, they start to drink, he gets locked up, and then he serves a little time or phase of fine. Then he's completely bewildered at the way he's been treated in town here and

do you have any way of contacting these kids and getting them back out of a situation like that? Are you going to work toward that? Yes, we are working towards groups or contacting either the police department in a way that if it's feasible through them to send Indian boys down here, we can help them. It's always been a problem, I don't think there's been too much emphasis in the past of organizing or arranging something in this nature. When the Indian newcomer, the young person comes into the city and does not share about the center and if he does get into problems and difficulties of this nature, then I think it would be very nice. If this could be done and I think Mr. Hardy and Mr. Reach and the whole staff were working toward something like this and what helped. Fortunately, most of the people through the grapevine, the first thing they hear is if they meet Indianers that you hear about the center.

What is your name? Columbus, Kiana. What tribe are you from? I'm a second fox or a missquake tribe from Taima, Iowa. I've only been here in Chicago. I've only been here about a year now. What do you find up here at the center that interests you? Well, I'm more for Indian music and my daughters have been here from three to four, four or five years and that's the reason why we came here, so to be all together. Does they take part in the power? Well, yes, they take part in this power and other powers from other states and other states. Are your daughters dancers? Yes. You too? What dances do you do at the power? They call the social dances of the different Indian tribes. What's going on up here tonight? Well, I wouldn't know because I work

nights and I only come here Saturdays and sometimes on Sundays. So you just drop in during the afternoon when you get a chance? Yes, sir. Placed to meet other people on the talk. Sometimes we meet some newcomers coming in. Do you think that there's any danger of the Indians as such disappearing in the Great American population that there would be no Indians? I don't think so. I don't think so. I think there's a lot of these Indians that want to lose their identity, but there's still a lot more that will not lose their identity. I want to retain it. I want to retain it and still be proud of their Indians. Here's Susan Kelly and what is your title on the board? I'm Secretary to the Board of Directors. I think an interesting point in the American Indian Center in Chicago is the fact that the members of the board are elected from the

membership. Is that right? Yes, we are. Do you feel that this is better than having an outside boarded directors that is a group of, as we sometimes call them, civic -minded people? Oh, definitely. Why is that? Only Indians, I think, know and understand Indian problems. And I think it makes an Indian coming from a reservation. I know in my own case, I came here with a complex. All the key positions on a reservation are usually held by non -Indians and I felt, well, are we capable of doing anything since I have been on the board? I have felt that I have learned how to well -help govern the center since we are completely responsible for the operation of the center. And I feel well, we are as capable as any other person. Going back to, you referred to the reservation and I asked you where that was. In North Dakota, a standing rock reservation, it extends into South Dakota. It is the third largest sewer reservation in the United States. You are a sewer. Yes, I am. You're also obviously a part of Irish because Kelly sounds like an Irish name to me. That I couldn't help. Let me talk

about yourself for a moment. Where did you go to school? On the St. Joseph's mission at Chamberlain South Dakota and the high school and for eights in North Dakota. Have you had college work? I went to Greg College here when Greg was separate from Northwestern to Sunwabash. And I've had some classes at Deep Hall night and Northwestern night school. How old are you? You're in your 20s now. I don't want to be specific. Well, I have to tell you. No, I just want to generally, you're obviously young. You're not a middle -aged woman by any means at this time. And as a young woman, you are competing directly with a great, a vast number of young women in Chicago. And do you find that you're competing successfully? Well, I hope so. I think being an Indian in my case has been a great advantage to me. People are more or less interested. I don't think that I am holding my job down because I am Indian. I wouldn't work there if that was the reason. I think I'm very capable. I hope so. But I think being

an Indian in the city is more or less an advantage. Not on a reservation, a disner near reservation. It's a great disadvantage. I gather, at least indirectly, from what you're saying, that you don't feel that Indians as a group have the same problems as other minority groups in a big community. No, not at all. I think that the American people feel that we were, they have us on their conscience in a way. They feel that we were treated unjustly. And so, consequently, they try to help us if they can. I have found that very true. Comments are clear otherwise. Yes. This is true. You have Indians from a great many sections of the country. And there are so great many tribal names involved in the activity here at the Indian Center. Do you know some of the tribes that are represented here at the center? Well, of course, the one I'm most familiar with is the Sue. And I won't say too

much about the Sue because they won't be waiting at the rest of the members waiting at the door. There's Perseks and Fox, Potawatomi, Choctaw, Cherokee, Patchy. All great names in American history, actually. Very much so. Do you think there's a tendency for people from various tribes when they come into Chicago to finally lose their identity as an Indian? Yes. I think there are many professional Indians who have completely. They know they are Indian, but that is all. I, more or less, was losing my identity. And then my mother, who held the chairmanship of the standing rocks to tribe for 12 years, would come through with a delegation. And I'd say, well, Susan, here you are, you're still an Indian. And I would hear an unjust act done against the Indians. And it hurts me a little bit more than if it had done to someone else. And then I'm all roused up again, and I realize that I can't get away from being an Indian. So how can I contribute? I can contribute just a little by being a volunteer board of director and maybe participate in some activities. I wanted to talk to you about those

activities. I noticed that one and besides the silk screen that Mr. Hardy mentioned was beadwork. And I imagine this is important. Yes, it is. That I want to learn. Is there a danger of Mr. Hardy was talking about another phase of the activity? But I wondered if there is a danger of the American Indians losing their culture that's been built up over so many years. I think so. In my own case, I know very, very little. I don't know any of the handicrafts at all. How about tribal dances, things of that sort? Are they perpetuated here in the powwow that you hold in the fall? I think more here than on some reservations. Is that so? Why is that? Well, here we, at home, see, it's just we're part of it and we take everything for granted. And sometimes we feel ashamed. We're trying to be like white people. We feel ashamed of getting out dancing. And here it's great to be able to get out and show people. See, I can dance in the end and we don't feel so much

ashamed of being an Indian here. Susan Kelly, American Indian. One of a thousand reasons for being for Chicago's American Indian Center. And that's another story of the city and sound, captured in a microphone held by Jim Herbert, modulated by engineered George Wilson. Our next sound of the city, the sound of Christmas cards.