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John Sackett
John Sackett was interviewed on December 13, 1991 by Bernice Joseph in offices at the Doyon building in Fairbanks, Alaska. John has been involved in Native affairs and state politics since he was in his early 20s, and the discussion ranged from the history of the Fairbanks Native Association (FNA) to the rise of Native political power in Alaska.
Digital Asset Information
Archive #: Oral History 92-05-11
Project: Fairbanks Native Association
Date of Interview: Dec 13, 1991
Narrator(s): John Sackett
Interviewer(s): Bernice Joseph
Location of Interview:
Funding Partners:
Fairbanks Native Association, National Park Service
Alternate Transcripts
There is no alternate transcript for this interview.
Themes
Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act, Alaska Natives, Bureau of Indian Affairs, Bureaucracy, Change, Civic Activities, Community Organization, Cultural Values, Discrimination, Economy, Education, Elders, Employment, Fairbanks Native Association, Fisheries Management, Fishing, Land Ownership, Legislative Skill, Native Corporation, Oil Development, Political Organization, Politics, Potlatch, Rampart Dam, Social Issues, Social Services, State Government, Tanana Chiefs Conference, Traditional Beliefs, Village
After clicking play, click on a section to navigate the audio or video clip.
Sections
1) Personal background
2) His involvement with the Fairbanks Native Association
3) Alaska Native people coming together in organizations to address common concerns about education and land issues and to support each other as Natives
4) His election to the Alaska State Legislature and efforts to help villages
5) Revival of Tanana Chiefs Conference and formation of other Native organizations
6) Importance of Native organizations providing services to their own people
7) Responsibility of Native corporations and state government to provide services
8) The role of Rampart Dam project in spurring the Native movement
9) How the Fairbanks Native Association potlatch encouraged Native pride
10) Factors influencing Native political power
11) Importance of avoiding complacency in Native affairs
Click play, then use Sections or Transcript to navigate the interview.
After clicking play, click a section of the transcript to navigate the audio or video clip.
Transcript
Section 1: Fairbanks Native Association - vice president/ Huslia/ Koyukuk/ St. Mark's Mission/ Territory of Alaska/ education/ Sheldon Jackson High School/ Ohio University/ Athens, Ohio/ University of Alaska|
Section 2: Fairbanks/ Fairbanks Native Association - history/ Perdue, Ralph/ Carlo, Poldine/ Carlo, William/ Cook Inlet Native Association/ Alaska Native Brotherhood/ Southeast Alaska/ politics/ social services - lack of/ discrimination/ amenities - lack of|
Section 3: education/ Mount Edgecumbe boarding school/ boarding school - family impact/ education - regional schools/ Fairbanks Native Association/ organization - urban/ Alaska Natives - support/ land issues/ Tanana Chiefs Conference/ outsiders/ hunting - regulations/ traplines/ pressure/ resolution/ Alaska Natives - organizing|
Section 4: Fairbanks/ University of Alaska - Native movement/ Tanana Chiefs Conference/ Fairbanks Native Association/ Alaska House of Representatives - election/ Hensley, Willie/ Legislative Finance Committee - chairman/ Alaska Senate/ oil - royalties and taxes/ Prudhoe Bay/ airports/ health facilities/ roads/ schools|
Section 5: Ketzler, Al/ Perdue, Ralph/ Tanana/ Tanana Chiefs Conference - president/ St. Matthew's Episcopal Church - meetings/ Tanana Chiefs Conference - funding/ Tanana Chiefs Conference - barriers/ Doyon/ Fairbanks Native Association/ volunteers/ Tanana Chiefs Conference - employment/ Fairbanks/ Bureau of Indian Affairs - contracts/ bureaucracy - dangers of/ villages - needs|
Section 6: resources - lack of/ passion/ Alaska Natives - support/ humility/ beliefs/ Tanana Chiefs Conference/ Native organizations - changes/ employment/ Fairbanks/ villages - needs/ services - lack of/ Bureau of Indian Affairs/ services - contracts/ regional Native associations/ bureaucracy - dangers of/ services - criticism|
Section 7: Native corporations/ shareholders/ services/ state government|
Section 8: Rampart Dam/ Gruening, Ernest/ hydropower/ Native movement|
Section 9: Fairbanks Native Association - potlatch/ culture - pride/ discrimination/ dance - Stick Dance/ church - oppression/ traditional beliefs/ Alaskan attitudes - changes|
Section 10: Juneau/ land claims settlement - economics/ social structures/ Native politics/ legislative representation - loss/ Tanana Chiefs Conference/ fishing - quotas/ Kuskokwim River/ Bristol Bay/ Yukon River/ False Pass/ salmon - reduction/ Hensley, Willie/ Ferguson, Frank/ education/ village - improvements|