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This episode looks at how AFN overcame what seemed to be insurmountable challenges. The 1960’s were a time of heightened racism, when newcomers to the state were taking over traditional lands and pushing development that threatened Native cultures and ways of life. Most villages only had one phone and limited mail service. How could people communicate across such vast distances? AFN’s shoestring budget came from its members, who dug into their pockets or held bake sales to raise cash. Yet despite the daunting obstacles, AFN’s early leaders found ways to organize, communicate and build a movement that would endure for generations. This program also explores how the tiny Tundra Times newspaper became the movement’s lifeline –how it carried news, ideas and inspiration across Alaska. Some contend that without the Tundra Times, AFN would have struggled to bridge Alaska’s vast distances and transform scattered voices into a powerful, unified movement.
Hosted by KNBA’s Rhonda McBride, this three-part series celebrates the Alaska Federation of Native’s 60th anniversary. It explores AFN’s colorful history — from its first gathering in October 1966 above a fur store in downtown Anchorage — to its early visionary leaders who transformed AFN into a major political force to fight for land claims, civil rights and social justice.
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