Chronology of American Indian History

State’s testing of nuclear bombs. The land belongs
to the Western Shoshone, who are not consulted
about the president’s appropriation of their land.

Canyon Records is founded.
In Phoenix, Arizona, Ray and Mary Boley estab-
lish Canyon Records, the first recording company
to market Native American music to a Native
American audience. Their first album is Natay,
Navajo Singer, which includes eight songs by
Ed Lee Natay. Canyon will eventually feature a
catalog of more than 400 contemporary and tra-
ditional recordings, including those of the popular
Navajo-Ute flutist R. Carlos Nakai. (See also entry
for OCTOBER 2001.)

June 20

Canada’s Indian Act is revised.
The valor of Native soldiers in the Canadian
military in World War II prompts Natives and gov-
ernment officials alike to reexamine Indian policy.
One result is the first major revision of the Indian
Act, which consolidated Canada’s policies regarding
Natives (see entry for APRIL 12, 1876). The 1951
revision ends the prohibition of Indian ceremonies,
such as the Sun Dance and the potlatch, and allows
the consumption of alcohol by Natives outside of
reserve borders. It also extends voting rights to more
Natives and rescinds a provision that forbids Native
political organizations from raising funds without
the permission of the Department of Indian Affairs
(see entry for 1927).

1952

The Relocation program is expanded.
With an allocation of $500,000 from Congress,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs Dillon Myers es-
tablishes a branch of the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA) dedicated to “relocation services,” allowing
Myers to expand nationwide the Relocation pro-
gram first established for the Navajo (Dineh) (see
entry for 1948). The Relocation program encour-

ages reservation Indians to move to cities, where

employees of the BIA assist them in finding jobs

and housing. The BIA maintains that Relocation

will greatly improve the quality of life of Indians,

particularly those living on the poorest reserva-

tions. The federal government, however, also sees

Relocation as a means of reducing the high cost of

operating the reservation system.

Between 1952 and 1957, annual Relocation

funding will grow to $3.5 million, and more than

17,000 Indians will receive assistance from the BIA’s

Relocation services. Although some will find the

good jobs and comfortable homes promised them

by the BIA, many others will merely exchange rural

poverty for urban poverty.

Summer

Creek pitcher Allie P. Reynolds plays his

best season.

A Creek Indian star pitcher for the New York

Yankees, Allie P. Reynolds leads the American

League in strikeouts and in earned-run average.

After attending Oklahoma State University on a

track scholarship, Reynolds began playing profes-

sional baseball in 1942 for the Cleveland Indians.

In 1972, he will be honored as one of the first

inductees into the American Indian Athletic Hall of

Fame (see entry for NOVEMBER 25, 1972).

1953

Chief Bender is elected to the Baseball Hall

of Fame.

The year before his death, Charles Alfred “Chief ”

Bender is admitted into the Baseball Hall of Fame—

the first Indian to be so honored. From 1903 to

1917, Bender was a pitcher for major league teams,

spending most of his active years with the Philadelphia

Athletics. Although racism was rampant in the early

ball clubs, Bender took this tension in stride. He

was known for responding to racist taunts from fans

by shouting “Foreigners! Foreigners!” at hecklers

in the bleachers. After leaving the major leagues,