Some believe the protests were rooted in the 1953 "Indian termination" policy passed by the U.S. Congress, which eliminated most government support for Indian tribes and ended protected trust status of Indian-owned land. This was followed by the Indian Relocation Act of 1956, designed to encourage Native people to leave Indian reservations, acquire vocational skills and assimilate into the general population.
Native Americans moved to urban centers in five original relocation cities: Chicago, Denver, Los Angeles, Cleveland, and Seattle, and were to receive assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) with housing and employment. Many struggled to adjust to their new surroundings, and faced unemployment, low-end jobs, discrimination, and the loss of traditional cultural support.
Since Illinois did not have a large in-state reservation, Native people from tribes throughout the country came to Chicago. When the relocation began approximately 8% of Native Americans lived in cities. As of the 2000 census, that number climbed to 64%.
 |
| Original sign for the American Indian Center, Chicago, circa 1953. Online photo. |
In 1953, the American Indian Center (AIC) of Chicago was organized by the Chicago Indian community. For fifty years the AIC has been the principal cultural resource for Chicago's Native Americans.
The Chicago American Indian Conference was held at the University of Chicago in 1961, attracting hundreds of Native people from across the country. As a result of the conference, a Declaration of Indian Purpose was created which in turn helped to mobilize a generation of Indian activists.
In 1970, the Chicago Indian Village (CIV) emerged to fight for better housing for the city's urban Native American population. The CIV's protests began when a Menominee woman was evicted from her Wrigleyville apartment. This eviction led the group to a two-month encampment at a Wrigley Field parking lot.
The Chicago American Indian Conference was held at the University of Chicago in 1961, attracting hundreds of Native people from across the country. As a result of the conference, a Declaration of Indian Purpose was created which in turn helped to mobilize a generation of Indian activists.
In 1970, the Chicago Indian Village (CIV) emerged to fight for better housing for the city's urban Native American population. The CIV's protests began when a Menominee woman was evicted from her Wrigleyville apartment. This eviction led the group to a two-month encampment at a Wrigley Field parking lot.
 |
| Senator Adlai Stevenson III (right) speaks with Mike Chosa (center) and members of the Chicago Indian Village who crashed a political dinner at the Sherman House in Chicago. Stevenson intervened on the protesters behalf with Chicago police. Chicago Tribune photo, May 19, 1972. |
From 1970 to 1972, community organizer Mike Chosa of the Chicago Indian Village planned seven encampments throughout Chicagoland. Two encampments were held in Lake County: one outside the main gate at Fort Sheridan, and another at Camp Logan in Zion.
The goal of the protests was to generate leverage with government agencies to address inadequate housing and social services for Chicago's 16,000 Native American citizens. A fact sheet prepared by the Chicago Indian Village stated that the Indians in the encampments "are not welfare cases: they are working people."
The Chicago Tribune wrote on January 3, 1972: "Thirty Indians protesting substandard housing conditions yesterday erected teepees outside the main gate at Fort Sheridan that could cause huge traffic jams today." The activists also carried signs protesting the Vietnam War.
 |
| Chicago Indian Village encampment outside George Bell Gate at Fort Sheridan, January 1972. BBDM 92.24.1378 |
Similar encampments were held across the country most notably at Alcatraz Island by a group known as Indians of All Tribes (IAT) from November 1969 to June 1971. The IAT pointed to 19th century treaties that stated abandoned or unused federal land would be returned to the Native people from whom it was acquired, hence their occupation of Alcatraz.
About the same time as the Fort Sheridan encampment, the protesters secured "a winter home" at Camp Logan in Zion where they remained until June 29, 1972. They then stayed at the United Methodist Church in Winthrop Harbor until accommodations were made for them with the Milwaukee Indian Action Group.
By the summer of 1972, the momentum behind the Chicago Indian Village was exhausted and the group eventually dispersed.
 |
| Chicago Indian Village encampment at Camp Logan barracks, Zion, Illinois, April 12, 1972. Photo by Joe Kordick. BBDM 2011.29 |
By the summer of 1972, the momentum behind the Chicago Indian Village was exhausted and the group eventually dispersed.
- Diana Dretske, Curator ddretske@lcfpd.org
14 comments:
Well that was interesting. I'm surprised that I don't recall any of that.
I remember parts of that since I was homeless then, too.
Mike Chosa took over Camp Seager in Naperville Il. in August of 1971 and was there till December 17 in 71.
My family live there at the time, I was 10 years old, but would like more info, News clips" if anyone has any
My family and I lived at Camp Seager when I was a child. I was born in 1963 and we moved 1968 or 1969. We lived in a 2 story house on the back of the property. My dad's name was Herman Miller. I remember him telling us that Indians broke into our house and stole his guns and knifes. Would love for any pictures of our old house or of the property from back then.
Note to Anonymous who posted on 8/5/18: We must know each other. I didn't live at Camp Seager but spent nights there sometimes with my friends: the Thomas kids, and Chrissy Jack, and Sunday and Lisa Warrington. I was visiting there with my Mom all the time. I have news clippings from back then as well as links to the documentary about the Chicago Indian Village. Would love to be in touch! I turned 10 yrs. old in October of 1971, so we must be close in age.
Does anyone know about an American Indian Movement protest at Main Gate of Fort Sheridan between 1 November 1969 and 28 Match 1972? I was present for it - on the
Army side of the fence; but I have not been able to find any news accounts of the
protest or Army records of same.
Any dates or newspaper records - even citations alone would be very helpful. I
am a historian now. Thanks.
W. A. W.
My grandmother is Carol Warrington, my aunts are Sunday and Lisa.
My grandmother has pics from those day last in Chicago when my uncles came from Oklahoma (Seminole Treaty People) they were apart of the American Indian Movement! I’ve heard many stories from my grandmother aunts and uncles and my mother about back then when the A.I.M protest were going on in Chicago, and my grandmother told me stories of taking care of all the A.I.M members that her brothers bring to the house, I am proud to hear these stories! My grandmother relocated with the Indian Urban Relocation Act!
American Indian Movement (Seminole Treaty People)
Hello Vanessa,
Thank you for commenting on your family's connection to these events.
We are always interested in partnering with the community and finding ways to tell these stories more fully. If your family has any stories or photographs specific to Lake County, Illinois that you would like to share, please let me know.
Best wishes,
Diana Dretske
ddretske@lcfpd.org
I was a military police man on the other side of the Ft Sheridan main gate across from the Native Americans. They were friendly and asked me about my Vietnam experience. They asked if I would use my shotgun on them. I told him I couldn’t because I didn’t have any ammunition.a shotgun. LOL
I was born and raised in Chicago from 1961 to 1973. We lived across the street from the American Indian Center. My mom worked at the daycare and we children attended after school programs ,. It was great!
Do you have a relative named Neal?
I remember it distinctly, I had a girlfriend who was friends with some of the indian teenagers at Camp Logan. I forget many of the details but I ended up giving 3 of them a ride back to the Camp Logan main gate sometime after dark one night. To my surprise as I pulled to a stop my car was surrounded by 20 to 50 adults acting aggressively and telling me and my girl to get out of the car, which we had to do to let out the guys in the back. (1965 Mustang fastback). Once they got out, they quickly calmed the adults and let them know we were just there to give them a ride back and were "OK". At that time we were allowed back to the car and left. I've always had that incident in my mind and 55 years later, Vindicated!
Post a Comment