Close
Digital Collections
Statement on Potentially Offensive Materials
Help
Rights and Reproductions
Log In / Sign Up
0
Selected
Invert selection
Deselect all
Deselect all
Click here to refresh results
Click here to refresh results
Go to Login page
-:-
-:-
Arthur P. LaCroix and Russell [Means?], oral interview
Add to collection
Download
Share PDF
Get link
Title
Arthur P. LaCroix and Russell [Means?], oral interview
Place
Montana
,
Nebraska
,
North Dakota
Subject
Dakota Indians
,
Indigenous peoples
,
Journalists
,
National Geographic
,
Oral histories
Description
"Begins with background, father and mother were both santee sioux, born in Nebraska but moved to Rapid City for highschool in the 30s. Joined the army and retired as a Major. Was in business with his brother and started his own business as decorating service. Got involved in local issues and was elected to city council before becoming mayor. Reelected to 4 terms, currently in his fourth term. WW2 interfered with his plans to go to college. Discusses how has one of the highest positions in government among native americans in the state. (Sound drowned out by outside noises for a bit). Students are more aware and educated as opposed to previous generations, speaker expects more involvement in local communities in the younger generation. Estimate 7-10 percent indigenous population in rapid city, mostly coming from the sioux. Many are established members of the community. Talk about native teachers but speaker can't really talk to that, but there are a few cultural study classes and on Indian history. Ongoing education seminars are available to talk to business people and city employees to get them involved in the culture and they have been quite popular. Discuss the few indian entrepreneurs in the city, and the involvement of indian women in various leadership roles. discuss misunderstanding of government by the indigenous population and a need for more involvement. Discrimination is reviewed by the mayor and human relations commission, most are solved locally but they can go as far as the federal level. Most are about employment and housing, whether they were denied because they are indian. Discuss a local story about a girl who was fished out of the river and if there are slums in the area. Mayor doesnt seem to believe its worse than anywhere else. Have a church organization to help them and other non-church organizations, such as ""Mother Butler"". Discuss alcoholism and drug use on reservations. Mayor states that alcoholism is treated as a health problem and disorder. People cannot be arrested for drunkenness but only for being dangerous to those around them. Treatment and detox centers have been created to help solve this problem. Talk about the importance of education on stopping children from becoming alcoholics. Discuss if there is racism in South Dakota and the ""rednecks"". Mayor states that racism does exist in his city but it has become less of a problem recently. Discuss a bill about congress paying for the black hills and how the tribes reacted to that. Also discuss a group called Yellow Thunder? Talk about the staff who are working on the story but difficult to understand. Mr. Lacroix talks about his 93 year old grandmother and that they reporter should talk to her, attempt to create an appointment to talk to her. Reporter asks if mayor knows a man by the name of Robert Burnnett, a former chairman of rosebud.
Switches to a man named russell who asks him the goal of the Yellow Thunder encampment. Russell states it is a religious and cultural resource area in the Black hills. Main purpose for Lakota people, but they cannot turn anyone away. States that some of these people have created problems for the encampment. Embarking on their 7th full season. They want to be fully self sufficient and independent, economic independence and community by community. Easier to cope with massive amounts of harassment and oppression when together as a community. Discusses comparison between another community that have similar desires. They are attempting to winterize there community. Reservation is a colonial type settlement. "
Duration
45m0s
Archival Collection Title
Edward E. Ayer Collection
Rights Status
Copyright Not Evaluated
Newberry Open Access Policy
The Newberry makes its collections available for any lawful purpose, commercial or non-commercial, without licensing or permission fees to the library, subject to
these terms and conditions.
Link to Catalog
View record
Call Number
Ayer Modern MS Josephy
BibID
9911612434105867
Size
103.02 MB
Original file name
9911612434105867_00000_00030.mp3
Unique Identifier
NL1V6HC
Visibility Class
Public
Related assets