Bernie Whitebear: An Urban Indian's Quest for Justice
Whitebear was born to a Native American mother and Filipino father in 1937 and emerged from an impoverished childhood to become an influential Indian-rights activist who earned the respect of senators and governors and served on the board of the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian until his death in 2000. His older brother now tells Whitebear's remarkable story. His first cause was Indian salmon-fishing rights on the Columbia River; later Whitebear worked with Seattle's "urban Indians," teaching them how to straddle cultures and not abandon their traditions. He organized powwows that led to the formation of the United Indians of All Tribes and to the completion of their spectacular cultural center outside Seattle. He networked with other minorities to raise money for educational and employment services, Head Start and GED programs, and multicultural art centers. Reyes' tribute to his brother is uplifting and informative, offering a firsthand view of the progress of Indian rights during the last half of the twentieth century.Deborah DonovanCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved--This text refers to theHardcoveredition.