Survival schools : the American Indian Movement and community education in the Twin Cities

In the late 1960s, Indian families in Minneapolis and St. Paul were under siege. Clyde Bellecourt remembers, “We were losing our children during this time; juvenile courts were sweeping our children up, and they were fostering them out, and sometimes whole families were being broken up.” In 1972, motivated by prejudice in the child welfare system and hostility in the public schools, American Indian Movement (AIM) organizers and local Native parents came together to start their own community school. For Pat Bellanger, it was about cultural survival. Though established in a moment of crisis, the school fulfilled a goal that she had worked toward for years: to create an educational system that would enable Native children “never to forget who they were.” While AIM is best known for its national protests and political demands, the survival schools foreground the movement’s local and regional engagement with issues of language, culture, spirituality, and identity. In telling of the evolution and impact of the Heart of the Earth school in Minneapolis and the Red School House in St. Paul, Julie L. Davis explains how the survival schools emerged out of AIM’s local activism in education, child welfare, and juvenile justice and its efforts to achieve self-determination over urban Indian institutions. The schools provided informal, supportive, culturally relevant learning environments for students who had struggled in the public schools. Survival school classes, for example, were often conducted with students and instructors seated together in a circle, which signified the concept of mutual human respect. Davis reveals how the survival schools contributed to the global movement for Indigenous decolonization as they helped Indian youth and their families to reclaim their cultural identities and build a distinctive Native community. The story of these schools, unfolding here through the voices of activists, teachers, parents, and students, is also an in-depth history of AIM’s founding and early community organizing in the Twin Cities―and evidence of its long-term effect on Indian people’s lives. In 1972, Motivated By Prejudice In The Child Welfare System And Hostility In The Public Schools, American Indian Movement (aim) Organizers In Minneapolis And St. Paul And Local Native Parents Came Together To Start Their Own Community School. While Aim Is Best Known For Its National Protests And Political Demands, The Survival Schools Foreground The Movement's Local And Regional Engagement With Issues Of Language, Culture, Spirituality, And Identity. In Telling Of The Evolution And Impact Of The Heart Of The Earth School In Minneapolis And The Red School House In St. Paul, Julie L. Davis Explains How The Survival Schools Emerged Out Of Aim's Local Activism In Education, Child Welfare, And Juvenile Justice And Its Efforts To Achieve Self-determination Over Urban Indian Institutions. The Schools Provided Informal, Supportive, Culturally Relevant Learning Environments For Students Who Had Struggled In The Public Schools. Survival School Classes, For Example, Were Often Conducted With Students And Instructors Seated Together In A Circle, Which Signified The Concept Of Mutual Human Respect. Davis Reveals How The Survival Schools Contributed To The Global Movement For Indigenous Decolonization As They Helped Indian Youth And Their Families To Reclaim Their Cultural Identities And Build A Distinctive Native Community. The Story Of These Schools, Unfolding Here Through The Voices Of Activists, Teachers, Parents, And Students, Is Also An In-depth History Of Aim's Founding And Early Community Organizing In The Twin Cities -- And Evidence Of Its Long-term Effect On Indian People's Lives. The Origins Of The Twin Cities Indian Community And The American Indian Movement -- Keeping Ourselves Together: Education, Child Welfare, And Aim's Advocacy For Indian Families, 1968-1972 -- From One World To Another: Creating Alternative Indian Schools -- Building Our Own Communities: Survival School Curriculum, 1972-1982 -- Conflict, Adaptation, Continuity, Anc Closure, 1982-2008 -- The Meanings Of Survival School Education: Identity, Self-determination, And Decolonization. Julie L. Davis. Includes Bibliographical References And Index. MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict MuPDF error: syntax error: invalid key in dict Cover 1 CONTENTS 10 PREFACE 12 INTRODUCTION: Not Just a Bunch of Radicals: A History of the Survival Schools 18 1 The Origins of the Twin Cities Indian Community and the American Indian Movement 28 2 Keeping Ourselves Together: Education, Child Welfare, and AIM’s Advocacy for Indian Families, 1968–1972 70 3 From One World to Another: Creating Alternative Indian Schools 116 4 Building Our Own Communities: Survival School Curriculum, 1972–1982 144 5 Conflict, Adaptation, Continuity, and Closure, 1982–2008 190 6 The Meanings of Survival School Education: Identity, Self-Determination, and Decolonization 212 CONCLUSION: The Global Importance of Indigenous Education 256 ACKNOWLEDGMENTS 264 NOTES 268 BIBLIOGRAPHY 304 INDEX 318 A 318 B 319 C 320 D 320 E 320 F 321 G 321 H 321 I 321 J 321 K 321 L 321 M 322 N 322 O 322 P 323 R 323 S 323 T 324 U 324 V 324 W 324