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- Parte de Records of the White House Office of Records Management (Clinton Administration), Subject Files on Indian Affairs
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OCR Page 1 of 18238348
CAL OF THE
IN
TONY KNOWLES
P.O. Box 110001
GOVERNOR
Juneau, Alaska 99811-0001
(907) 465-3500
Fax (907) 465-3532
scott muchand
STATE OF ALASKA
OFFICE OF THE GOVERNOR
JUNEAU
October 7, 1997
The President
The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue
Washington, DC 20500
Dear Mr. President:
For many years I have believed there is a pressing need in our state for a center dedicated to
celebrating and perpetuating the rich cultural traditions of Alaska's Eskimo, Aleut, and Indian
people. Ten years ago, the state's largest Native organization, the Alaska Federation of
Natives, endorsed the creation of the Alaska Native Heritage Center. I was proud to be
present at the Heritage Center's ground breaking this summer.
Contained in the National Park Service construction budget is a $2.2 million appropriation for
the Heritage Center. I urge your support of this important project.
Already, Alaska businesses have contributed $3.2 million to the effort making this an
excellent example of a public-private partnership. A private foundation has recently made a
$500,000 challenge grant to assist in the final phase of the private sector fund-raising effort. I
am committed to a $1.6 million appropriation from the State of Alaska. And the Municipality
of Anchorage's Assembly just last week made the Alaska Native Heritage Center its top
capital priority for 1998.
The Alaska Native Heritage will be a living cultural facility where Native elders and young
people will guide Alaskan's and hundreds and thousands of visitor's through working artists'
galleries, live demonstrations of dance and storytelling, and village depictions under the
construction by Alaska Native families working under a welfare-to-work initiative.
I hope you will join me in supporting this unique and important effort. Please do not hesitate
to contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Tony Joy Knowles
then
Governor
OCT 4 1997