♪♪
One of my favorite objects in the Archives is this 1970 proclamation
from the United Indians of All Tribes, outlining the reasons and intent
behind the takeover at Fort Lawton, a protest occupation
of the former military base in today's Discovery Park.
The takeover began on March 8, 1970, when native activists and their allies
scaled fences surrounding the fort and launched a coordinated effort
to occupy and reclaim land that was being surplused by the federal government.
Led by principal organizer and native leader Bernie Whitebear,
the protesters called for the surplus land to be returned
to the indigenous community, and used as a much needed land base
that would provide services, education, and events.
A handwritten note at the top of the proclamation indicates
that this copy was delivered to the city on March 24th by Bernie Whitebear.
Also held in the Archives is a documentary about Whitebear from 2000,
which includes audio of him reading the first line of the proclamation.
We, the native Americans, reclaim the land known as Fort Lawton
in the name of all American Indians by the right of discovery.
The proclamation goes on to state that the land will be used to develop a center
and resources for Native Americans, studies, education, and art and concludes,
“we feel this claim is just and proper, and that this land is rightfully ours
as long as the rivers shall flow and for as long as the sun shall shine.”
The documentary also includes interviews about the takeover and the reasons
and events that led to it.
Back in the 60s and 70s,
there weren't any funds
for urban Indian programs from-from
any public sector of the city, county, state, federal government.
So that was the incentive.
It was a community incentive that
began to evolve because of the lack of services.
And the intent was to create a land base for the 25,000 plus
American Indians and Alaska Natives and Canadians
that lived here in the Seattle-King County region.
And the rest is somewhat history after that.
The takeover lasted several weeks and was the spark that eventually,
after years of debate and negotiation with city, state, and federal officials,
led to the creation of the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center,
which opened in Discovery Park in 1977.
Bernie Whitebear served as its director until his death in 2000,
and in 2011, the road to Daybreak Star
was officially named Bernie Whitebear Way in his honor.
To learn more about materials in the Archives related to the takeover
at Fort Lawton and the creation of the Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center,
see the online exhibit on our website at seattle.gov/cityarchives.