The Role Of Indigenous History In Chicago During The 1960s And 70s

My research project, “___” (working title), will focus on Indigenous activist history in Chicago during the 1960s and 70s. Through a variety of archival research, oral histories, and literature on the topic, I hope to produce a work that shares the goals, actions, values, and strengths of Indigenous activists and their organizations. My goal is to produce an essay that includes multiple, diverse perspectives on Indigenous activism that center, respect, and honor Indigenous organizations, activists, and Nations. The United States education system often teaches Indigenous history as a past tense. In history classrooms, there are very few, if any, discussions of Indigenous perspectives after the Ghost Dance movement or the Wounded Knee Massacre. Through this erasure, many view

government for food rations. In 1956, the United States passed the Relocation Act which offered Indigenous people training and moving expenses to migrate into U.S. cities. Many took this offer to escape the desolate conditions of their reservations. However, this further broke apart Indigenous communities. By offering relocation as an alternative to reservations, the United States government assumed Native people would disappear into cities, lose their culture and values, and eventually assimilate into Euro-American society. However, this is not the case. Separated from their kin, Native land, and culture, Indigenous people often sought community in cities to combat isolation and violence. Chicago became a center for Indigenous community and activism, especially after the relocation. Indigenous people in Chicago founded one of the first American Indian Centers in 1953 as a response to relocation policies. Soon after, cities around the United States began to emulate the Center in Chicago. The American Indian Movement (AIM) was established in 1968 in Minneapolis and formed a chapter in