To Inform Tribal Leaders of the Total Resources and Programs
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V.,," DOCUMENT RESUME ED 031 340 RC 003 551 National Conference on Manpower Programs for Indians (Kansas City, Missouri, February 15-16, 1967). Bureau of Employment Security (Dept, of Labor), Washington, D.C. Pub Date 15 Feb 67 Note-402p. EDRS Price MF 41,50 HC-$20,20 Descriptors-Agencies, Agricultural Occupations, *American Indians, Communication Problems, *Conference Reports, *Economic Disadvantagement, Employment Problems, Equal Opportunities (Jobs), *Federal Programs, GeneralEducationsHealth,Housing, *Manpower Development,SocioculturalPatterns, Transportation, Vocational Education, Welfare The purposes of the National Conferenceon Manpower Programs for Indians were: (1) to inform tribal leaders of the total resources and programs available to American Indians; (2) to learn from tribal leadersmore about their problems and needs as American citizens; and (3) to create among the participatingagencies a keener awareness of the need for concerted and cooperative effortsin dealing with poverty among Indians. Panel discussions were held on Indian employment problems, maximum participation of Indians in developing their programs, and key problems in developing employability. The latter topicwas further subdivided into training and vocationaleducation,health and welfare,generaleducation programs,equal employmentopportunities,problemsrelatedtohousing,transportationand communication, the importance of cooperation in providing services to Indians, agricultural employment opportunities for Indians,planning and development of reservation programs, .and social and cultural considerations. This document presents a condensed version of the transcribed proceedings, (CM) , OP f,11 NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MANPOWER PROGRAMS FOR INDIANS February 15-16, 1967 UNDER THE AUSPICES OF THE UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF LABOR BLACK ELK'S PRAYER From BLACK ELK SPEAKS by John G. Neihardt University of Nebraska Press Lincoln, Nebraska (Standing on a high hill at night and facing the west, Black Elk cried out four times "hey-a-hey" before beginning the prayer. He addressed Wakon Tonka as Grandfather, because that was the term of greatest respect known to him.) Grandfather, Great Mysterious One, you have been always, and before you nothing has been. There is nothing to pray to but you. The star nations all over the universe are yours, and yours are the grasses of the earth. Day in, day out, you are the life of things. You are older than all need,older than all pain and prayer. Grandfather, all over the world the faces of living ones are alike.In tenderness they have come up out of the ground. Look upon your children with children in their arms, that they may face the winds and walk the Good Road to the Day of Quiet. Teach me to walk the soft earth, a relative to all that live.Sweeten my heart, and fill me with light. Give me thestrength to understand and the eyes to see. Help me, for without you, I am nothing. Hetchetu aloht U.S. DEPARTMENT OF HEALTH,EDUCATION & WELFARE OFFICE OF EDUCATION FROM THE THIS DOCUMENT HAS BEENREPRODUCED EXACTLY AS RECEIVED POINTS OF VIEW OR OPINIONS PERSON OR ORGANIZATION ORIGINATINGIT. STATED DO NOT NECESSARILYREPRESENT OFFICIAL OFFICE OF EDUCATION POSITION OR POLICY. NATIONAL CONFERENCE ON MANPOWERPROGRAMS FOR INDIANS Sponsored By: The United States Employment Service Of The Bureau of Employment Security President Hotel Kansas City, Missouri February 15-16, 1967 i; FOREWORD The list of barri.. -s to the dignity of full employment for the Indian people is long and disheartening, and they are understandably confused and embittered by the many manpower programs that have passed them by. Too many remain among the poorest of the poor, often stranded on unproductive reservations. Too few gain education, training in skills, and opportunity for employment-- and those who do all too often must sacrifice their Indian heritage in the process. Indian leaders are not unaware of success stories, however. They cite the Seattle project, which provided skill training for the men and orientation to city life for their families. But such a project requires close cooperation by many Government agencies, not an easy task. Some agencies are still newborn. Some have never before been called on to help the Indians.If, together with the Indian people, they are to attack the barriers to employment, they must establish effective communication. So it is first necessary to bring together the Indian leaders and the Government representatives who can help them. The Kansas City Conference was designed with this objective in mind. There Indian leaders met and mingled with representatives from the Departments of Agriculture, Commerce, Defense, Interior, Labor and Health, Education, and Welfare, from the Civil Service and Equal Employment Opportunity Commissions, and from the Office of Economic Opportunity. In addition, they talked on a person-to-person level with repre- sentatives of private industry, higher education, and community action organizations. The conference was organized as a series of panels, some on different subjects and some, running concurrently, on the same subject. Thus, no one participant was able to sit in on every discussion. Indeed, most conferees participated in no more than one fourth of the panels. These Proceedings are intended to fill in the gaps. The full transcript of the conference was, of course, voluminous. The present pub- lication offers a condensed version of the transcribed proceedings, prepared under the auspices of the Information Office of the Iowa Employment Security agency, with the assistance of the Department of Labor's Bureau of Employment Security, and published by the Missouri State Employment Security agency. Every effort has been made to retain the dramatic flavor of the discussions and, a prime objective, to present the needs of the Indian people as communicated to the agencies with responsibilities for serving them. Understandably, these Proceedings show the Indians to be critical of many of the pro- grams and agencies involved in the Conference. In the interests of honest communication, however, their critical, but often constructive, comments were retained. We left out some critical comments, particularly if they referred to a person. We did not have the means to check on the validity of complaints.It is hoped that no participant will take offense, since this publication is intended as an overall view of all sessions and a working document for the Indians and agencies involved. The real and lasting success of the Indian Manpower Conference will depend on what we do to meet the problems presented there. Our mutual efforts must extend beyond providing mere sustenance to enabling the Indian to join the mainstream of American life without losing his unique cultural heritage. Arnie Solem Regional Administrator Bureau of Employment Security tit I extend warmest greetings tothose attending the National Indian Manpower Conference. You convene at a time whenAmerica is reaching for greatness. Spurred by economic upsurge and commitmentto social justice, most Americans enjoy unprecedented prosperity.Yet, millions of Americans remain untouched by progress,victims of disadvantage. By focusing on critical questions, youdelegates will help your people build richer and fullerlives. May your conference prove highly productive. W. Willard Wirtz Secretary of Labor PR OGRAM February 15, 1967: 9:00 A.M. Call to Order - ArnieSolem, Regional Administrator Grand Ballroom Bureau of EmploymentSecurity U. S. Department ofiAbor "Welcome to The Heart ofAmerica" Honorable Ilus. W. Davis,Mayor of Kansas City,Missouri Remarks - Frank H. Cassell,Director, United States Employment Service Bureau of EmploymentSecurity U. S. Department of Labor Remarks - Frank A. Potter,Director, Office of Farm Labor Service Bureau of EmploymentSecurity U. S. Department of Labor Remarks - Robert L. Bennett,Commissioner, Bureau of Indian Affairs U. S. Department ofInterior 10:30 A.M. "What Are the Barriers toSatisfactory Employment by the IndianPeople?" (This was a frank discussionof Indian employmentproblems, carried on in eight concurrentsessions, with prominent Indian leaders chairingeach session. See Panels1-A through 1-H). LUNCHEON Arnie Solern -Chairman "Maximum Participation ofIndians in Developing TheirPrograms" An Address by: Dr. RalphKeen Bureau of Indian Services,University of Utah Summary of the PanelDiscussions By:Harry Belvin,Principal Chief Choctaw Nation, Oklahoma 2 February 15, 1967 - -Continued 2:00 P.M.SUBJECT: Key Problems inDeveloping Employability (Panels No. 2-A, 2-B, 3,and 4, Concurrently) PANELS NO. 2-A and B -TRAINING AND VOCATIONALEDUCATION PANEL NO. 3 HEALTH AND WELFARE PANEL NO. 4 GENERAL EDUCATIONALPROGRAMS 4:30P.M. ADJOURNMENT_ 5:30P.M. SOCIAL HOUR Jr. Ballroom 6:30 P.M. BANQUET Arnie Solem - Toastmaster "Black Elk Speaks" Presented by: John Neihardt(Flaming Rainbow) Poet Laureate of Nebraska BANQUET ADDRESS WILL ROGERS, JR. * * * * * * * * * February 16, 1967: Employability - Continued 9:00 A.M.SUBJECT: Key Probleis in Developing PANEL NO. 5 EQUAL EMPLOYMENTOPPORTUNITY PANEL NO. 6 PROBLEMS RELATED TOHOUSING, TRANSPORTATION, AND COMMUNICATION PANEL NO. 7 THE IMPORTANCEOF COOPERATION IN PROVIDING SEAACESIOiNDIANS 3 Februa16, 1967 -- Continued PANEL NO. 8 AGRICULTURAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIANS 10:15 A.M. COFFEE BREAK 10:30 A.M.Resume Panel Discussions 11:30 A.M. LUNC 12:45 P.M. PANELS NO. 9-A, 9-B, 10, and 11(Concurrently) PANELS NO. 9-A and B PLANNING AND DEVELOPMENT OF RESERVATION PROGRAMS PANEL NO. 10 RESEARCH ON PROBLEMS