Viewing page 4 of 75

This transcription has been completed. Contact us with corrections.

Minutes of the NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS
Convention held in Santa Fe, New Mexico
December 4-6, 1947.

December 4, 1947.

Morning

The morning was taken up in the registration of Delegates in the lobby of the LA Fonda Hotel and assignment of rooms and quarters. 

Afternoon Session

Judge N. B. Johnson, President, of Claremore, Oklahoma opened the Fourth Annual Convention of the National Congress of American Indians at 1:30 p.m. in the Museum Building in Santa Fem New Mexico the President, in a few well chosen remarks, called attention to the importance of the convention and suggested that the more than 150 delegates representing at least 50 tribes each introduce himself and state briefly his name, address, and connection with his tribe. This was done while the officials of the Indian Congress were organizing the Convention for business, and the President was appointing committees and consumed most of the afternoon. 

There were delegates from every state having Indian population and one delegate from far away Alaska. The short introductory remarks of the delegates were most interesting. 

JUDGE JOHNSON:

During the past year three of our members have passed on and I think it appropriate to pause and pay tribute to their memory. I will ask Mr. Edward Rogers, our Vice-President, to head the ceremony. 

MR. ROGERS:

During the past years we lost three of our most prominent members. Mr. Burns, our first president, occupied prominent positions in the Indian Service. At the time of his death he was retired and he died of heart disease. The second member who died this past year was Roy Gord. He was the staff of the Bureau while it was located in Chicago. He underwent a minor operation and was getting along fin, recovered nicely, when a blood clot overtook him and he died suddenly. He was one of the first organizers of our organization. The third member who passed away this past year was a very prominent woman. She was very active in this association and we miss her passing very greatly -- Mrs. C. C. Victory. Mr. Burns was a Chippewa from Minnesota, Roy Gord was a Cherokee from Oklahoma, and Mrs. Victory was also a Cherokee. I think it proper for the delegates at this time to rise and remain silent and give our three

-1-