The Montgomery Advertiser from Montgomery, Alabama • 13

Montgomery, Alabama Thursday. May 4, 1 989 Page13A OTHER VIEWS Indians Are Forgotten Minority Alabama fen A -L KC25MB2Trtj i ii ii 3V5T, -jfW 30 OFF $4900 1 vacuum with brush roll FABRICS, PATTERNS AND NOTIONS WHITE SUPERLOCK SERGER CUT YOUR SEWING TIME IN HALF NOW ONLY $288.00 1 1 i 1 ij WHITE 844 NOW ONLY $89.00 QUILTER'S FRIEND ZIG ZAG TWO STRETCH STITCHES NOW ONLY NOW ONLY 98.00 YvHiV EUREKA UPRIGHT Model 1432 VYvi N0W 0NLY 00 $59.99 people's birth records list them as white. In summary, it should be apparent that there are many questions and very few answers, but the reader can be appalled at the level of non-existence American Indian people experience in Alabama government, and, in the national arena as well. It is difficult to understand when an Indian entrepreneur calls the AIAC to say that a field representative for a federal certification program has told him that only blacks will qualify for a specific program (and this has been reported by both black and white field personnel). Additionally, after meeting with the department of state government created to help minority businessmen and women, no invitations or inclusions are made for Indians when minority conferences are held.

Second, it is difficult to understand why the news media casts doubt on the identity of citizens of Alabama because they have recently documented a heritage which is theirs by birthright but was denied them because it was "hazardous to their health." (Recall at one time in our nation's history it was legal to kill Indians!) If found they could be dispossessed of all they owned their families and land and forced to go to a strange and distant land. History records that the original Indian territory, which became the state of Oklahoma, was largely populated with the once-great Indian nations of the Southeastern United States. The Oklahoma Chero-kees, Creeks, Chickasaws, and Choctaws are nations indigenous to Alabama not Oklahoma. Census Was Flawed Tribal governments continue to identify and prove heritage for Indian citizens of Alabama because it is a privilege under the legislation and because it is their birthright. The 1980 Census document was flawed and data gathered from its use was highly inaccurate not only for Alabama but for many of other states with Indian population.

The entire Miccosuki Reservation in Florida was not counted and persons of mixed ancestry who chose to so identify themselves were erroneously labeled. The AIAC is working with the U.S. Census Bureau to educate our state and our people for the 1990 Census. A report just released by the National American Indian Council revealed that in the 1980 Census data in a report entitled "Ancestry of the Population by State, 1980," Alabama is listed as having 165,416 such citizens of Indian ancestry. This means that the potential for organized Indian communities to reclaim their lost members is very high.

This does not mean these people are "new" Indians or that they are persons who have lied about their ethnic heritage, but rather these people may now lay claim to their birthright, establish their cultural and social ties, and move into the 21st century with many of their unique privileges and customs reclaimed. This also means that because of the hundreds of years in which the Indian community has interacted with those of European heritage through intermarriage many of our poeple are not likely to "look" Indian. However, simply because their "blood quantum" has diminished does not diminish their ethnic pride or rights. Finally, the AIAC will continue to serve as an effective representative of the original citizens of this nations, who make up less than one percent of the total population of Alabama who ask only that they be recognized as a great people and treated with the respect, dignity and equality they so richly deserve. field of education, recognition is granted from the federal arena for special programs.

Approximately 10,000 children are educated in special Title IV Indian Education Programs in 11 educational systems in Alabama. There is no one answer to the question: "Who is an Indian?" Each piece of federal legislation carries with it upon passage who will be an "Indian" for the purpose of that particular piece of legislation and program. How does this affect Indian minority employment rights? Simply put, some of the programs established in the federal government target only federally recognized tribal people. In other word, no state-recognized tribal people may be accepted for work, contracting, or whatever that program offers. Many times American Indians find themselves in competition not only with their Indian counterparts, but with other minorities a situation which cannot, in my opinion, be the intent of the law which was passed to overcome the inequities in our system of government.

In a cautious effort to explore possibilities the AIAC director was told the quickest remedy was to sue in a federal court, because without the mandate of the court order, preference would still be given to blacks because they were being accommodated under the federal court order. Indian people have no such resources and do not believe in opposing the system in order to receive what is theirs by legislation. Not the least of their employment problems and certification problems is their identity their birth records. It must be remembered that it was perilous to admit to having an Indian identity in the face of the prospect of forced removal to Indian Territory the thrust of the Indian Removal Act of 1830. Many of the Indians who avoided removal did so by retreating to isolated settlements which escaped the attention of federal authorities charged with their banishment from this area.

Still others remained on marginal land, and because of the racial attitudes of their white neighbors, were racially reclassified using terms such as "mulattoes," "mixed," or "persons of color." A few prosperous and other less prosperous "mixed blood" or "half-breeds" who resembled their white neighbors melted into the dominant society of the time. Records of state and federal authorities following Indian removal offered rather disparate characterizations of the race of Indian people. The problem created by these characterizations continue to the present day. There are Indian families in which natural children, both of whose parents are American Indian, are listed on birth records as being of a different race than either parent and among the natural siblings their birth certificates also indicate different races. One of the most powerful records in documenting one's ethnic designation is a birth certificate.

In the absence of such a document in seeking Social Security qualification, a person is permitted to have a sworn statement from someone who remembers your birth or was present at your birth or is a member of your family. This does not apply to Indian people and their birth records. Because of the unique survival of Alabama's Indian population, most of our -tmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmr' a By JANE WEEKS In 1984 the Alabama Legislature established the Indian Affairs Commission to serve the n.eeds of the Indian communities in the state. This has proven to he one of the most generous acts of state government in the 50 years since legislation recognized for the first time the existence of Alabama's Indian population our invisible minority. As executive director of the Alabama Indian Affairs Commission, I was amazed to learn that the Census Bureau listed the total number of Indians in Alabama in 1980 as slightly less than yet, tribal rolls had over 24,000 American Indian families listed.

Because of the mandates of the federal court orders targeting the maltreatment of our black citizens, the only record maintained by the State Personnel Department and the Secretary of State about minority people is the number of black citizens accommodated a clear indication that the Indians were simply being ignored. Because of the laws of our nation and state, the AIAC cannot request and receive an all-Indian staff to serve Indian people. American Indians are the only minority in the United States (to my knowledge) who, in order to claim minority status, must complete a genealogy chart (or Pedigree Chart) and be certified by a tribal government. In other words, to claim minority status, they must be a "card-carrying Indian." Affects Employment This one fact affects all aspects of Indian life but most specifically, the employment of Indians. No minority preference can be extended to them without this card, and because of the fact that many do not look "Indian" enough to satisfy the interviewer, they cannot avail themselves of what is theirs by virtue of birth.

The premise here is that if you are black, anyone can tell by merely looking at you; if you are Hispanic, anyone can tell by not only seeing your facial characteristics but because you "talk funny," that is, with a distinct accent. But neither criteria serves to identify the majority of our Indian population. Then too, when small business entrepreneurs who are Indian apply for certification from the federal government for any available minority contracting privileges, it becomes almost impossible to document "social and economic disadvantage" because in the arena of Indians, it must be "personal." Most astounding, it has been the official federal policy since 1830, the date of the passage and implementation of the Indian Removal Act, that there are no Indians east of the Mississippi River. It is impossible to get much mor personal than that! Another important fact is that Washington does not afford equal status to tribal governments American Indian governments fall into two distinct categories of recognition: Federally recognized tribal governments (defined by the federal government as sovereign dependent nations) enjoy a special government-to-government relationship. Their lands are generally small "islands" of tribally administered communities where local and state laws seldom apply except by the consent of the tribal body.

Alabama has one such tribe which was granted this unique status after 35 years of applying and was finally recognized in 1984, approximately three months after the formation of the AIAC. State-recognized tribal governments are considered sovereign government by the state only. Alabama recognizes seven tribal governments. But, in special instances, notably in the SAY. MARCA, PC YOU KNOW 6UH0THZPRESI- tub PENT IS? pptsimrt TP TUFz A6ENCY? TALL GUY, WITH A DOPEY likes BEAUTIFY YOUR HOME AND SME SAVE pSgrsAVE fSSIETsAVE CMm Cwjf hMm A-100 $-fl f99 saIinx i HOUSE PALM I TR1MPAOT Warrantv JBLC3 10-Year Warranty Sw lalw! iM-uls All Hint nIhwmiMi rs WA ALL IMPERIAL PZu "'1 V-V- LN-STOCK PATTERNS tilOti I wrfii' tiff a h-r4 EXTERIOR fl 099 99 I I I Dw, COLOR I MXJr STAIN JLXJr WW 25 to 30 NAME BRANDS Mir i 'i iiwr.ttp' iHiMf i I Classic 99 MATTE FUrUjf Wall pain? CLASSIC 99 A-100 mTOFLvr $A99 LATEX WALL PAINT 8-Year Warrantv SELECT SHERVVINWIXIAMS DESIGNER COLLECTION 50 Over 5000 rauenis ren vmm jttMc: SAVE 50 to DELMAR LA, klKIRVMLMII HOUSE TRIM 10-Year (trf-utlwdf hnutctl warrdntviaj ENTIRE Vtf III SFIFfT CUSTOM K- riDnro Dfvwc Vn or per spoil I NO, OF ma COUNTRY.

YOU KNOW, THBL6AVER OFTHEFREe ST M99 $099 PATTERNS DEPARTMENT ON SALE 1ST I WORlP? UP TO HIS EYE-BALLS IN THE IRAN-CONTRA SCANOAL. OH, GE0R6E BUSH! ,1 From Advertiser Files 100 years ago (1889) Bishop Wilmer, who is guest of Mr. Joel White, will preach at the Holy Comforter tomorrow morning and administer the rite of confirmation to the class to be presented by the Rev. Mr. McBee, the rector.

50 years ago (1939) Bill Rollow, sports editor, writes of the expense of rudeness to the umpire. In Gadsden, Victor Mettler had a difference of opinion with umpire Howard Camp about a decision at first base and protested so vehemently and at such close range that he was fined $5. That added fuel to Mettler's flame and Mr. Camp increased the fine to $10. Then Mr.

Mettler said he was mad $15 worth and umpire Camp obligingly raised the fine and excused Mr. Mettler from further participation. 25 years ago (1964) Montgomery Academy celebrated the quadri-centennial of William Shakespeare's birth in a series of skits. In "Midsummer Night's Dream" Bobby Weil played Oberon and Rosemary Wood was Titania. "Romeo and Juliet," narrated by Frances Nicrosi, had a cast of eight including Mary Walton Kohn and John Williams.

Lady McBeth was Mary Lynn Baum. In "Julius Caesar," Art Dear-mond was Caesar, Tommy Bear was Mark Antony and Inge Hill was Casca. JOANNA LEIOLOR' 70 0FF QUALITY InsiallftlHin ill pntflud t-tM MONTGOMERY 136 COLISEUM BLVD. 272-2662 TROY 404 S. BRUNDIDGE ST.

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PRATT PLAZA 365-0456 MONTGOMERY 3571 MCGEHEE ROAD 281-8886 (Ni4 mptmvMe lor tvp iff.iphK'fll 1 rrrrir wrt Shwwin William rrwn nRtit to mrrvt i iniit Baldwin S. Smith compiles this column..