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1103441
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VIP Visits
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doc
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document
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1
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id
1103441
contentType
document
title
VIP Visits
collections
Bradley H. Patterson Files (Ford Administration)
Bradley Patterson's Native American Programs Files
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Indians of North America
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1103441
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1976-10-01
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10
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1976
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1975-07-01
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7
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1975
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The original documents are located in Box 6, folder "VIP Visits" of the Bradley H. Patterson Files at the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. Copyright Notice The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photocopies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Gerald Ford donated to the United States of America his copyrights in all of his unpublished writings in National Archives collections. Works prepared by U.S. Government employees as part of their official duties are in the public domain. The copyrights to materials written by other individuals or organizations are presumed to remain with them. If you think any of the information displayed in the PDF is subject to a valid copyright claim, please contact the Gerald R. Ford Presidential Library. THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON TO: Brad Patterson FROM: Bobbie Kilberg For your information XX For appropriate handling Per your request Remarks: MEMORANDUM THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON July 31, 1975 MEMORANDUM FOR: DR. TED MARRS Bobbie FROM: BOBBIE GREENE KILBERG SUBJECT: Proposed Presidential Visit to All Indian Pueblo Council at Taos and to the Navajo Nation at Window Rock While I am very enthusiastic about a Presidential visit to an Indian reservation, I have a few thoughts that I would like to share with you: (1) During the Nixon Administration, a lot of attention was focused both on Taos Pueblo and on the Navajo; and the broader Indian com- munity often has criticized Washington for concentrating its attention on the large and/or southwestern tribes. Also, Navajo Chairman, Peter MacDonald, a Republican, publicly has joined Sargent Shriver's Presidential Committee. It should be noted, however, that MacDonald's rejection of the Republican Party, in my opinion, is due to the exceed- ingly bad treatment which he received from the Republican Party of Arizona and from Vice President Agnew, towards the end of his term. Taking all this into account, consideration might be given to a visit to a smaller, northern tribe, such as Colville, where progressive development is taking place. (2) The term "Indian Message" is a signal to the Indian community to expect a new statement of policy initiatives in the legislative and exe- cutive areas. Two concerns about this: (a) I do not think we could produce such a statement by September 30; and (b) I do not feel that we have achieved our present objectives and believe we should do so before moving out further in new directions. I would prefer the FORD President to make an informal speech in which he honestly assessed both the progress we have made to date and the obstacles we have encountered, and in which he avoided making any new promises. I think the Indian community would respect such a speech and the President's honesty in delivering it. Page 2 (3) Cabinet participation: I think we should include Labor, DOT, HUD, Agriculture, EPA and FEA, in addition to the Cabinet members you mentioned (Interior, HEW and Justice). Both reservation and non- reservation Indian communities are rapidly discovering that programs which affect them are controlled by a wide range of departments and agencies, and we should encourage broader Indian contact by those departments and agencies. cc: Jim Cannon SCHEDULE PROPOSAL for The President DATE: July 30, 1975 THE WHITE HOUSE FROM: Theodore C. MarrsJem WASHINGTON THRU: William J. Baroody, Jr. VIA: Warren S. Rustand MEETING: Address the Taos Pueblo Council and the All Indian Pueblo Council at the San Geronimo Fiestas in Taos Pueblo, New Mexico. A concurrent visit to the Navajo Indian reservation at Window Rock, Arizona. DATE: September 30, 1975. PURPOSE: To allow the President to visit the Taos Pueblo Council and the All Indian Pueblo Council representing approximately 40, 000 Pueblo Indians of New Mexico - and to visit with the leadership of the Navajo Nation representing approximately 140, 000 members of the Navajo Tribe - to present an "Indian Message" stating policy now being developed. FORMAT: - location: Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, and Window Rock, Arizona - participants: Leadership and members of the Taos Pueblo Council, the All Indian Pueblo Council, and the Navajo Nation. - expected length of participation: Approximately 30 minutes at each of the visits. CABINET The Secretary of the Interior, The Secretary of HEW, PARTICIPATION: and The Attorney General will have an interest in this event. SPEECH MATERIAL: To be provided by Paul Theis' office. PRESS COVERAGE: Full press coverage. FORD STAFF: Theodore C. Marrs RECOMMEND: William J. Baroody, Jr. James M. Cannon, III Barbara Kilberg OPPOSED: None. - 2 - PREVIOUS PARTICIPATION: None. BACKGROUND: The San Geronimo Fiestas in Taos Pueblo, New Mexico, will be commemorating the official feast day of the Taos Pueblo Indians. The Pueblo Indians, numbering approximately 40, 000, are considered by many to be the backbone of Indian culture and tradition. The All Indian Pueblo Council represents a significant and progressive Indian group, having made significant progress during this administration in response to Federal programs. It has been generally supportive of administration policies. The Navajo tribe is the largest in the United States and has the largest land base. The Navajo Indians are frustrated at this time, because they feel that the initiatives taken by the Navajo Tribal Council have not been recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs. They want to develop their water rights and their land and mineral resources and feel that the President's Message in 1970 on Indian Self Determination and certain legislation have given them the right to self government, which they feel is being denied by the Department of Interior and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. In meeting with these groups the Pre sident will demonstrate his sincere concern about the welfare of all of the American Indian tribes. The visits will provide two excellent forums for the President to speak concerning his interest in Indian culture, aspirations, and needs for economic independence and self determination. These visits will be the first of a President of the United States to an Indian reservation and will encourage the entire Indian population of the nation. The visits will also counteract some of the unfavor- able publicity recently generated concerning Indian- Federal Government relations. APPROVED DISAPPROVED THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON July 13, 1976 MEMORANDUM TO: TED MARRS DICK PARSONS BOBBIE KILBERG FROM: SUSAN of PORTER Although the attached invitation is for Mrs. Ford, Jack Ford has expressed some interest. May I have your comments on Jack's attending the 19th American Indian Seminar on Scouting to be held in Browning, Montana in August? Thank you. FORD & LIBRACK 8770 - THE BLACKFEET TRIBE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE TRIBAL COUNCIL Earl Old Person, Chairman OF THE BLACKFEET INDIAN RESERVATION Earl Old Person James Baker, Vice-Chairman Carl Kipp Roland Kennerly, Secretary BROWNING, MONTANA 59417 Ronald Cross Guns Alfred Allison, Treasurer Archie St. Goddard Roland Kennerly June 1, 1976 James Baker Bud Wetzel George Kickingwoman Dewey Heavyrunner 6K orto do? Mrs. Betty Ford The White House Washington, D.C. 20500 Dear Mrs. Ford: The Blackfeet Tribe of the Blackfeet Indian Reservation is very honored this year to host the 19th American Indian Seminar on Scouting. This Seminar will be held at Browning, Montana from August 8 to August 12, 1976. As you can see from the enclosed brochures, Browning is the geographic center of the Blackfeet Reservation. The Blackfeet Tribe will be very honored by your presence at this Seminar because of your long standing interest in Scouting and the Executive position which you now hold in the Scouting organizations. The Blackfeet Tribe has fo lowed your intense interest in the youth of this Country and we feel that it would be very fitting for you to appear and encourage the Indian youth of this Country to develop and foster the many fine ideals taught by Scouting. The Seminar on Indian Scouting is, of course an annual affair and is very important to the Indian Scouting Leaders throughout the Country. The Blackfeet Tribe has been very fortunate over the past years to have had several of its prominent members totally involved in the fine attri- butes of scouting. One of these gentlemen, the late Francis X. Guardipee, was honored by the National Scouting Association and by the Blackfeet Tribe for his many years of devoted service to the overall concept of scouting throughout:this land. I personally have had a life-long interest in scouting and have had the good fortune to attend the World Jamboree which was held in France. Our Tribal Business Council has encouraged scouting on this Reservation for many years and have, for approximately twenty years, donated a large portion of one of our beautiful mountain lakes to the Boy Scouts of America for their annual festivities. We will be most happy to provide additional information on airline schedules and accomodations for your stay. Any further information which FORD : GERALD -2- your Staff may require will be quickly provided by my office. Again, this Reservation and Indian Scouting Leaders throughout the Country will be very honored by your presence at this Seminar. With Warmest Regards, COO Earl Old Person, Chairman Blackfeet Tribal Business Council EOP:ag FOND August 10, 1976 MEMORANDUM FOR: WILLIAM NICHOLSON VIA: WILLIAM BAROODY FROM: BRADLEY H. PATTERSON, JR. SUBJECT: Invitation to the President to Address the National Indian Education Association Meeting in Albuquerque I am not very high on his accepting this invitation. Education is a field in Indian-Federal relations which has been very prickly, with confrontations in the recent past (some in the courts) between the Indian Education community and the White House. It is my understanding that the President has been invited to attend the Crow Festival in Montana on August 20, and it is also my understanding that Ted Marrs has long been hoping that President Ford would be the first President in recent history to visit an Indian reservation while in office. (Quite a few thousands of Indian reservation people from many tribes will be there, I am told.) Commissioner Thompson and I agree that the Crow Festival on August 20 would be the best event for such a visit; if the President is in that part of the country around that time, all the more so. I would put my eggs in this basket rather than the event in Albuquerque. FORD & 07V839 LIBRARY THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON Personal September 17, 1976 NOTE TO COMMISSIONER THOMPSON I clipped this from TALKING LEAF. Are there any others on here (besides Laguna which we know about) to which you would recommend that any member of the First Family try to go? Brod of Events Education. At Lode Star Ranch, near Wilseyville, Calif,, in the Sierra rodeo. Ignacio, Colorado. Foothills southeast of Sacramento. For September 12-15 -- Indian Fair, arts information, call Greg Villegas collect at and crafts. Whiteriver, Arizona. 916-446-1201 or write 4200 14th St., September 14-16 Annual Stone Sacramento, Calif. 95817. Lake Jiearillia Apache Fiesta. Dulce, September 26-28 -- Shoshone-Ban- New Mexico nock "Indian Day.' war dances, Indian September 16-19 -- Second annual games all Indian rodeo, at Fort Hall, Men's NIAA National Fastpitch Champ- Idaho. ionships in Gallup, New Mexico. For September 25-26 -- San Geronimo more information please call or write to Eve, Vespers at San Jerome Chapel and (602) 729-2645 or write Tony Davis Sundown dance. For more information P.O. Box 846, Ft. Defiance, Arizona write or call Taos Pueblo Council, P.O. 86504 Box 1848, Taos, New Mexico 87571 or September 19 Harvest dance and (505) 758-4156 other various dances, St. Joseph's September 30 Fiesta of San Fiesta Laguna, Old Laguna Village, Geronimo, Trade Fair, Relay races, pole New Mexico. For more information climbing / by Koshares, dances. For write or call Laguna Pueblo Council, more information write or call Taos P.O. Box 194, Laguna, New Mexico Pueblo Council, P.O. Box 1848, Taos, 87026 or (505) 243-3716. New Mexico 87571 or (505) 758-4156 September 24-26 -- Osage Indian Day, October 1-7 -- Feast of St. Francis by Celebration, tribal dances. Hominy, the Papago tribe at Sells, Papago Oklahoma. Reservation. Arizona, September 26 -- Annual Indian Day October 1 -- 1st weekend. Chief Picnic at Sycamore Grove Park, 4702 Joseph Memorial Dance. Harlem, Figueroa St in Highland Park Montana. California near the Southwest Museum. October 2 - Little Big Horn Pow Wow Hours are 9 a.m. to sunset. For more at Eagle Rock Recreation Center, 1100 information call the Indian Center at Eagle Vista Drive. 7:30 p.m. to 11 a.m. 747-9521. October 4 -- Elk and other dances, September 23-26 - Colorado River annual fiesta at Santa Fe, New Mexico. Indian Tribes will have the Irataba. For more information write or call the Society's Fourth Annual National Indian Nambe Pueblo Council, Route 1. Box Day Celebration, Parker, Arizona. For 125, Santa Fe, New Mexico 87501 or more information call Veronica Mur- (505) 455-7692. dock, Bus. (213) 669-9211 or home (213) October 8-10 -- Howard Chatt' 669-2048. American Indian & Western Relic September 24-26--Citizens workshop Show, Great Western Exhibit Center, for rural and reservation Indians of Los Angeles, California. For more California sponsored by Native Amer- information call (213) 777-7072 or (213) ican Training Assoc. in cooperation with 766-8202. National Committee for Citizens in --Compiled by Hope Montoya GERALD FORD LIBRARY THE WHITE HOUSE WASHINGTON October 4, 1976 NOTE TO SUE PORTER Two questions: 1. Do you have any further information about the possibility of a member of the First F amily coming by the National Congress of American Indians conference in Salt Lake City on October 20? (The President signed the Indian Health Bill; it will be a happy time there in general.) S FORD LIERS 2. Would any member of the First Family be free here at the White House on October 2 7, 28 or 29 (27th AM preferred) to say hello at the first meeting of the newly appointed mem- bers of the ational Advisory Counci 1 on Indian Education (see release) ? Brad