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MINUTES OF THE
NATIONAL CONGRESS OF AMERICAN INDIANS
CONVENTION HELD IN RAPID CITY, SOUTH DAKOTA
SEPTEMBER 21 to 24, 1949

September 21, 1949.

No meetings were held during the morning as the time was spent in registration of delegates in the lobby of the Alex Johnson Hotel.

Afternoon session

The convention was officially opened at 1:00 P.M. in the Rapid City High School Auditorium with President N. B. Johnson presiding.

Rev. A. W. Hancock, NCAI Chaplain, McAlestor, Oklahoma, gave the invocation.

The delegates were welcomed by the Hon. I. H. Chase, Mayor of Rapid City, South Dakota.

The welcoming address was given response from regional secretary John Rainer and Executive Councilman Reginald O. Curry.

Mr. Rainer said that this convention would be a success because they had the necessary leadership down to the last member in the groups and he knew it would be a success since they had the wise counsel of their elders.

Reginald Curry expressed his appreciation for the fine reception extended by the mayor of Rapid City.  He was glad to be attending the Sixth Annual Convention of the National Congress of American Indians.  It was very gratifying to hi to see so many Indians in attendance.  To hi this meant that Indians were awakening and banding together in a common cause.  For an example, he cited the story of a tree toppling in a forest with no one in hearing distance.  It would be the same as if there was no sound if no one heard the tree fall.  So it was on the reservation if no one can hear the people sound their feelings.  Through the NCAI, they could express themselves.  They were meeting together as a minority group-- a group that had their property rights taken away without their consent.  They were meeting here today as a group and as an organization who, if a vote were taken, would prove to be one hundred per cent against any government that would agitate the overthrow of the Constitution  of the United States.  The delegates would be meeting during the next few days to work out a program to benefit their race.  Other people, over the past one hundred years, had been dictating what was good for the Indians.  Now they had an opportunity to express their own views on pending Indian problems.

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