NAs Black Power Flashcards
Positive view
Would suggest that AA NVDA and Black Power movements pre-fated similar NA movements, thus indicating that the former influenced the latter. Notes importance of Black Power ideas of racial consciousness and pride as influencing a pan-tribal identity which was developing amongst NAs
Friendship House
The development of institutions such as the Intertribal Friendship House in Oakland, California, takes clear inspiration from the Free Breakfast programme organised by the Black Panther Party
Famous people influencing NAs
Several key persons associated with the Black Power Movement, such as Cassius Clay and Dick Gregory, held a benefit concert for the Native American cause following their “Longest Walk’ of 1978
AIM’s emergence
The emergence of the American Indian movement followed the period of greatest militancy among the civil rights campaigners, suggesting that it as influenced by it
Concept of unity
The Black Power movement aimed to bring unity to African Americans, and this may have encouraged Native Americans to abandon the tribal divisions that lessened the impact of previous protests
Aggressive tactics
The more aggressive tactics of the Black Power movement may have encouraged Native Americans to abandon their more peaceful methods, which they believed had failed to bring any improvement
Phrase ‘Red Power’
The term ‘Red Power’ appears to have been taken directly from ‘Black Power’ and the tactics of Red Power appear to mirror those of the existing movement
Mixed view
Notes partial influence of Black Power on Red Power, but also the differences between the movement. Likely to suggest that Red Power was only one of a range of Native American civil rights movements and responses, so to focus exclusively on this would be too narrow
Range of protests
There were a range of protest movements developing in the USA at this time, particularly in the area of San Francisco, and the protests from Native Americans should be seen as one element of that development
Attitudinal change
There was a change in attitude in American society towards minority groups and this was reflected in the changing attitudes of presidents such as Kennedy, Johnson and Nixon.
Abandonment of NCAI
The mass movement created by Black Power, and the pressure it was able to exert on the government, may have encouraged the Native Americans to adopt a similar policy and to abandon the NCAI, which was seen as supporting those Native Americans who had done well rather than those who were struggling economically
Negative view
Would denounce positive interpretations, citing the unique nature of NA protest movements, and their origin as being in NA society, culture and politics. Would point to NA civil rights movements developing as early as WW2, indicating that Red Power had its roots prior to Black Power
Post-WW2
After the Second World War, there were clear indication, particularly in response to the policy of termination, that Native Americans were more united in their protests and resistance to government policies and therefore did not need the influence of Black Power
Previous NA success
Native American pressure groups were already achieving success - had resulted in the establishment of the Indian Claims Commission
Previous militancy
Militancy was already present among some Native American protest groups - The National Indian Youth Council
Reasons for growing militancy
The growing militancy among Native Americans was more a response to the conditions in which they found themselves following the policy of termination and their move into urban areas
Urban movement
The move into urban areas made it much easier for pressure groups to be organised to complain about working and living conditions
Unity of Alcatraz occupants
Those who occupied Alcatraz called themselves ‘Indians of all tribes’.
10,000 Indians from different tribes visited Alcatraz, this inspired them to occupy other disputed federal land.
Dates of establishment
Black Panthers established 1966, AIM 1968
Lack of NA violence
Guns were rarely shot in movements involving NIYC. Including 1972 Trail of Broken Treaties, Poor People’s Campaign and 1968 Washington fish-in. In 1964 hundreds of NA assembled in Washington for recognition as part of Johnson’s War on Poverty.
Appreciation of heritage
Black Power: Oakland Community School 1973; Red Power: Heart of the Earth Survival School in 1972. It taught NAs tribal languages and skills such as hunting and fishing.
Examples of previous unity among NAs
5 civilised tribes tried to create a separate state of Sequoyah in Muskogee Convention in 1905, against Curtis Act; SAI 1911 was inter-tribal; NCAI 1944; pan-tribal and included 50 tribes; NIYC 1961, before Black Power.
Similarly high unemployment
Unemployment was as high as 25% between 1945 and 1969.
NIYC background
The National Indian Youth Council was founded in 1961 in New Mexico and attempted to preserve Indian fishing rights in the North West
In 1968 the NIYC staged a ‘fish-in’ after the Washington State Supreme Court ruled against protecting the fishing rights of the tribes in that area
Also filed lawsuits
AIM patrolling
Members of the AIM patrolled the streets wearing red berets and jackets
Alcatraz siege
The AIM occupied Alcatraz Island in San Francisco Bay in 1969, claiming the site that had belonged to the Ohlone Indians by ‘right of discovery’
The occupation of Alcatraz Island by 79 Native Americans led by Richard Oakes lasted for two years
Rushmore occupation
In 1971 the AIM organised an occupation of Mount Rushmore, a national memorial with the famous sculptures of Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt which was also the sacred burial grounds of the Lakota Sioux Indians
Trail of Broken Treaties
The occupation of Mount Rushmore was followed in 1972 by the ‘Trail of Broken Treaties’ in which AIM members and other Indian leaders organised a protest march on Washington D.C. in pursuit of greater tribal self-determination
This followed the arrival in the city of the ‘Trail of Broken Treaties Caravan’, a fleet of cars, buses and vans carrying around 1,000 protesters representing several of the original tribes
With a presidential election imminent, its purpose was to raise awareness of the plight of Native Americans
Violence erupted when attempts were made to evict the protesters, causing $700,000 of damage
Occupation of Wounded Knee
In 1973, AIM members occupied the trading post at Wounded Knee for 71 days to draw public attention to the socio-economic problems of the Lakota Sioux on the Pine Ridge Reservation in South Dakota
It ended with a negotiated settlement, and although two leaders of the protest were arrested and charged they were subsequently acquitted
Further violence broke out at Pine Ridge in 1975 when 2 FBI agents and 1 protester were shot and killed
