Timeline of AIS at UW – American Indian Studies at Fifty: Looking Back & Moving Forward

1968

February 19, 1969: Menominee Indian Project organizes on campus to recruit Native high school students to UW-Madison
February 25, 1969: Formation of Indian Youth Council chapter announced in The Daily Cardinal:▪“End of the Trail,” page 8. Digital Copy of Issue: ▪
February 26, 1969
“Indian Group Projects Red Power Moves,” The Daily Cardinal
Feb. 26, 1969, p. 2 discusses “Wisconsin Indian Youth Council” goals which include similar aims from Coalition of Native Tribes for Red Power

Spring 1970: Coalition of Native Tribes for Red Power established
September 25, 1970: “A Challenge to the University of Wisconsin” issued by Coalition of Native Tribes for Red Power
October 7: All Indian Unity conference held at UW-Madison
October 9: Chancellor Young’s office responds to the CNTRP’s challenges
October 10: Red Power Pow-Wow held at UW-Madison
October 29: Ad-Hoc Committee on Native American Programs is formed, chaired by Prof. Allan Bogue
Autumn: Ad-Hoc Committee on Native American Programs finds that there are only 28 full-time Native undergraduate students enrolled UW-Madison
December 1: Chancellor’s office meets with students of CNTRP to inform them of the formation of the committee and plans to hire a Native employee in the admissions office

January 4: Roberta Hill, John Neimisto, and Sandra Waubanascum join the Ad-Hoc Committee on Native American Programs
Spring: Lehman Brightman and Vine Deloria Jr. visit UW-Madison
June: Nancy Lurie and group of Native students from UW-Milwaukee meets with the Ad-Hoc Committee to form a multi-campus American Indian Studies program
June 14: Ad-Hoc Committee on Native American Programs releases its final report recommending the formation of a department of American Indian Studies
June 23: Chancellor Young meets with members of the Ad Hoc Committee on Native American Programs, Ad-Hoc Committee presents its findings
July 9: Chancellor Young declares that UW-Madison will adopt the recommendation of the Ad-Hoc Committee on Native American Programs to form a department of American Indian Studies
Fall 1971: Wunk Sheek established

Fall 1972: American Indian Studies Program established
December 2: UW-Madison student group, Anti-Racism Coalition, calls for additional funds for “admission and survival” of Native students

January 8: Student proposal for an Inter-Tribal Culutral and Service Center denied
June 4: Richard Powless turns down job offer as first director
August-September 1973: Cultural Centers Protests
November 13: AIM / Wounded Knee Rally on campus
John Niemisto hired as first director [?]