Review each document and answer the questions in your notebook.
Alcatraz Proclamation
Proclamation to the Great White Father and All His People
We, the native Americans, re-claim the land known as Alcatraz Island in the name of all American Indians by right of discovery.
We wish to be fair and honorable in our dealings with the Caucasian inhabitants of this land, and hereby offer the following treaty:
We will purchase said Alcatraz Island for twenty-four dollars ($24) in glass beads and red cloth, a precedent set by the white man's purchase of a similar island about 300 years ago. We know that $24 in trade goods for these 16 acres is more than was paid when Manhattan Island was sold, but we know that land values have risen over the years. Our offer of $1.24 per acre is greater than the 47¢ per acre that the white men are now paying the California Indians for their land. We will give to the inhabitants of this island a portion of that land for their own, to be held in trust by the American Indian Affairs [sic] and by the bureau of Caucasian Affairs to hold in perpetuity—for as long as the sun shall rise and the rivers go down to the sea. We will further guide the inhabitants in the proper way of living. We will offer them our religion, our education, our life-ways, in order to help them achieve our level of civilization and thus raise them and all their white brothers up from their savage and unhappy state. We offer this treaty in good faith and wish to be fair and honorable in our dealings with all white men.
We feel that this so-called Alcatraz Island is more than suitable for an Indian Reservation, as determined by the white man's own standards. By this we mean that this place resembles most Indian reservations in that:
1. It is isolated from modern facilities, and without adequate means of transportation.
2. It has no fresh running water.
3. It has inadequate sanitation facilities.
4. There are no oil or mineral rights.
5. There is no industry and so unemployment is very great.
6. There are no health care facilities.
7. The soil is rocky and non-productive; and the land does not support game.
8. There are no educational facilities.
9. The population has always exceeded the land base.
10. The population has always been held as prisoners and kept dependent upon others.
Further, it would be fitting and symbolic that ships from all over the world, entering the Golden Gate, would first see Indian land, and thus be reminded of the true history of this nation. This tiny island would be a symbol of the great lands once ruled by free and noble Indians.
- What the purpose of this document?
- What did Native Americans hope to achieve through their occupation of Alcatraz island?
- What concern of Native Americans is addressed by this letter?
- What would be a logical response from the President to this letter?
- What do you recall about the “Battle of Wounded Knee”?
- Why might Native Americans want to occupy this land?
- Mount Rushmore is located in the Black Hills (historic land of the Sioux). Is this an appropriate national monument for this location? Explain.
President Barack Obama The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW Washington, DC 20500
Dear President Obama,
On behalf of the Native American Advocacy Program at the Friends Committee on National Legislation (FCNL), the only religious lobby on the Hill to maintain a desk devoted to Native American affairs, we write to you today with regard to the Native American Apology Act.
As you know, the Senate included the Native American Apology Act as an amendment to the Defense Appropriations bill, which you signed on December 19, 2009. The Apology Act recognizes the special legal and political relationship between the United States and tribes, and acknowledges years of ill-conceived policies, broken covenants and official depredations by federal government toward Indian tribes. The Apology Act is an historic statement that will help educate the nation’s children about the record of United States mistreatment of Native Americans. It will promote respect for Native American sovereignty and culture for the future.
We are very pleased with the steps you have already taken to build the nation-to-nation relationship between the federal government and tribes, including the tribal nations summit in November and support of tribes in the federal budget. We also recognize that there is a great deal of power in an honest and sincere apology. This apology deserves national recognition and public acknowledgment. To give true hearing to the Apology, we respectfully request that you hold a White House ceremony with tribal leaders to formally issue the apology to Native peoples. We also look forward to additional steps in an action plan that will help to right the past wrongs.
Thank you for your thoughtful consideration.
Sincerely,
Ruth Flower Legislative Director 202.903.2524
Inez Steigerwald Native American Advocacy Program 202.903.2511
- What is the goal of this letter?
- What would an official apology from the United States government acghhieve?
SATURDAY, AUGUST 06, 2005
NCAA Mascot Decision-Email Responses
Following is a press release from the American Indigenous Coalition on Institutional Accountability regarding the NCAA mascot decision.
We have also posted emails that we received, some must be debated by those of you who are logging on. Please send us a copy of your responses to some of these emails at
Let's get some dialog going...and educate.
AIMGGC
PRESS RELEASE
The American Indigenous Coalition on Institutional Accountability, a coalition of Indigenous organizations for social change wish to congratulate the NCAA for its position on the ban of offensive "Indian" stereotypes and mascots for academic institutions. We believe the NCAA's position is consistent with every major American Indigenous organization's perspective including - the National Congress of American Indians and the American Indian Higher Education that have publicly stated opposing offensive "Indian" stereotypes.
We however are greatly disappointed by media organizations such as AOL and Fox TV who are exploiting this issue by promoting "popularity polls." The use of "polls" is a divisive position that insults American Indigenous institutional positions. The polls are also misleading since Indigenous people are viewed as less than 5% of the population and therefore could have little impact upon these polls. We do not believe the media would conduct a similar poll for African and Jewish stereotypes because the mere suggestion of such a poll would be an insult to those communities.
We will plan to support the NCAA action by participating in an active campaign against the 18 institutions listed by the NCAA that will include.
1. Direct contact with potential student athletes who might be considering attending those 18 institutions,
2. Direct contact with NCAA member institutions requesting their support by not contracting to engage in athletic events with the named 18 institutions.
3. Direct contact with corporations requesting their support by not contracting to engage in sponsorships, events and products that promotes these institutions' stereotypes.
4. Support those academic institutions like the University of Iowa and University of Wisconsin, who have policies of not scheduling athletic competitions with schools who use American Indigenous nicknames, imagery, and religious symbols or mascots.
It is time to stop playing games with American Indigenous culture and traditional values. As long as Non-Indigenous people continue to use these stereotypes in academic institutions and the sports industry this issue can not be resolved.
- Are sports teams with Native American names and mascots inherently racist? Explain your answer.
- Based on the documents, what seems to be the major goal of the American Indian Movement?
- In what ways is it similar to Black Nationalism?