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Pine Ridge, South Dakota
April 5, 1949

R. Bronson
1426--35th St. N. W.
Washington, D. C.

Dear Mrs. Bronson:

[[note]] Convention 1949 [[/note]]

Pursuant to your suggestion, Mr. High Pine and I made a trip to Rapid City this week end.

While there we met with the Black Hills Council of American Indians. The Chairman, Mrs. Eva Nichols presided at the meeting of this council in regard to the convention of the NCAI.

We also met with Mr. Frank McConnell, Chairman of the Peace Pipe Organization on the same matter.

We find a little friction and jealousy between the two organizations, but after the importance of the convention was cited, all of the officers of both organizations agreed to co-operate for the purpose of putting the convention over during the month of September.

While there we also contacted Mr. Chew, manager of the Alex Johnson Hotel at Rapid City. Mr. Chew indicated that during his term and office of manager the "Frell Owl" incident was the only case that he knew of where Indians was denied services at this hotel. Mr. Chew indicated that the clerk had made a sad mistake and that they would like to invite the convention to headquarter at their hotel and that the guests of the convention will be accorded the same services that has been rendered the other conventions who headquartered at the hotel. He also indicated that a lot of Indians have been cared for at the hotel since the "Owl" incident, and that it is not a general practice or a policy of the hotel to deny services to the Indians. He pointed out that the interior of the hotel was decorated in Indian designs at a tremendous cost and that the attitude of the hotel has been favorable towards Indians headquartering there. He stated further that they would appreciate their business very much.