The American Indians Committee Continues Unprecedented Support of Our Nation's Native Americans

In a recent Today's DAR Blog post, the President General noted that the Executive Committee approved awarding more than $100,000 in support of the various initiatives promoted by the American Indians Committee, which will enrich the lives and future opportunities of Native American students and youth. 

The American Indians committee came in with a song. Its origin may be traced to 1921, at the 30^th Continental Congress, when a renowned Indian Opera Singer, Princess Tsianina Redfeather Blackstone,  sang a piece entitled “Canoe Song,” which was written after she asked a composer to write an Indian opera to “tell the white race what they have done to my people in a nice way.” DAR member Mary Roe, urged the Daughters to do more to support “improved educational opportunities for Indians.” The Daughters heard her cry; two days later, they passed a resolution adding the American Indian Institute in Wichita, Kansas to the list of authorized schools and colleges. After more than 10 years, the American Indians Committee became reality, established as a subcommittee in 1936 and a National Committee in 1940. The committee today continues the charge, its objectives of providing financial assistance and educational aid to Native American youth is tantamount. In addition, this committee continues for the last 80 years to educate local communities and Daughters about Native American or Indigenous culture, heritage, history and current events. The committee’s goal is to “Shine a Light” on American Indian Youth across the Country, to open doors and to provide opportunities to pursue higher learning and educational opportunities into the future. Daughters often suggest that the name of this committee should be updated to Native American; the National Society follows the formal practice of the U.S. Government's Bureau of Indian Affairs, National Museum of the American Indian, etc. in retaining the term American Indian.

The Indian Youth of America (IYA) Camp Program will be celebrating its 44^th Anniversary this summer. For the past 43 years, these summer camps have made a profound difference in the lives of thousands of Indian children and staff members from 204 tribes and 34 states. The camps originated because many Indian children never had the opportunity to attend a summer camp for reasons ranging from the high expense to the lack of programs designed to meet their needs. IYA is planning to conduct two camps this summer: one from June 10-19 at Whispering Pines in Prescott, AZ and one from July 29 - August 7 at Camp Bob Marshall in the Black Hills of South Dakota. DAR support in the form of 10 camp scholarships ($400 /each) and $15,000 for necessary supplies and equipment allows program costs can remain affordable; student scholarships and funds to support varied activities will ensure the camps ongoing legacy. IYA's summer camps provide Indian children between the ages of 10-14 with an alternative to spending the summer at home; often with no entertainment, recreation or job opportunities. The summer camps provide a variety of positive cultural, educational and recreational activities at a time when youth lack supervision and are most vulnerable to peer pressure, suicide, criminal activity, gang involvement and substance abuse. The summer camps serve Indian youth, as well as provide employment to Indian college students and high school graduates to work as camp counselors and staff.

Bacone College, the historic school on the hill, established in 1880, is the oldest continually operating private Tribal Liberal Arts College with an emphasis towards educating American Indians in Oklahoma. Today the student body is comprised of 64.5% (271 students) of American Indians from 31 tribes. Bacone offers an array of educational opportunities including a prominent Indian Art Program with and extensive Indian Art collection. Fewer places have influenced 20^th century Native art more than Bacone; it is the only American Indian Christian Ministry Program in the country.  In recent years, Bacone quietly fell into decay and near-financial ruin with the student body dwindling, the historic buildings in disrepair, limited community and alumni involvement and the loss of several large donors. In 2018, the Higher Learning Commission (HLC), placed Bacone on financial and academic/accreditation probation, citing lack of proper infrastructure and “systematic and integrated planning.” Now under new leadership, noteworthy financial and academic contingency plans are being set into place. In March 2020, the college sold 21 acres of land to the Muskogee School system for $3M, allowing for the pay down of previous debt and another generous Trust donation $245K. The College is slated to transition from a private school to a Public Tribal College during FY2021 and expects to grow student enrollment to 300 by the Fall of 2020. With the support of the DAR, Bacone is amidst a rebirth. Funds this year include five one-time scholarships of $5,000 for students to attend the Native American Art program, the allocation of $70,000 from the Eleanor M. Stolle Fund for repair of the HVAC system in the men’s dormitory and repair/painting/maintenance of both the men’s and women’s dormitories