Neighborhood News: Albany Park’s American Indian Center celebrates Native American Heritage year-round
November is Native American Heritage Month, and as Choose Chicago notes, the city is home to one of the largest urban Native American communities in the United States, with about 65,000 Native American residents and some 175 different tribes represented.
For 71 years, the American Indian Center (AIC), 3401 W. Ainslie Street, has celebrated Chicago’s Native American heritage , which was the traditional homelands of the Odawa, Ojibwe, and Potawatomi people. Many other tribes, including the Miami, Ho-Chunk, Sac, and Fox, have also called this area home.
Beginnings
The Center was founded in 1953 by Native Americans with assistance from the Quaker-affiliated American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), according to Wikipedia sources. John Willard, the executive director of the AFSC in Chicago played a key role in organizing and raising funds for the project. AIC was organized to help Native families cope with the transition from reservation to urban life. The Center is overseen by Native American members, from a variety of tribes, who make up its board.
A Center for Culture, Enrichment, and Advocacy
As they say on their website, The American Indian Center is “fiercely committed to uplifting Chicago’s Native community by creating spaces where our culture thrives, our voices lead, and our future is built on the strength of our people.”
Whether you’re drawn to the artistry of beadwork, the vitality of Native fitness, the rhythm of drumming and singing, or the creativity of stitch and sew, AIC’s programs offer something for everyone.
Free Open Beadwork Classes
Beadwork holds a profound place in Native American culture. It’s a form of expression that tell stories, honors ancestors, and connect with each other on a meaningful level. Each bead and pattern carries significance, reflecting the diversity and richness of our traditions. AIC honors this tradition through offering Open Beadwork classes every Tuesday and Thursday from 4 to 7 p.m. AIC supplies all the materials needed for basic beadwork projects—from beads and needles to thread and design patterns.
Free ‘Stitch and Sew’ Classes
Have you ever wanted to learn sewing techniques that are deeply rooted in cultural traditions? Or create your own regalia, ribbon skirts, or shirts? Whatever your inspiration, AIC “warmly invites” you to join every Friday from 4 to 7 p.m. at the American Indian Center for a free Stitch and Sew Class. In these classes, you can:
- Learn Regalia Making: Dive into the art of creating traditional regalia, meaningful expressions of cultural identity worn during ceremonies and special events.
- Create Ribbon Skirts and Shirts: Learn how to make ribbon skirts and shirts, garments that hold cultural significance and are often adorned with symbolic designs.
No need to bring anything. AIC supplies all the materials needed for your sewing projects—from fabrics and ribbons to thread and sewing machines.
Arts, Activities and Community Events
AIC focuses on the arts by offering workshops such as drum making, moccasin making, and also by housing the first and only art gallery space dedicated to the promotion and education of Native artists in the city of Chicago.
They host monthly senior lunches, monthly community potlucks and weekly drum practice.
AIC also runs a year-round education program for youth that provides culturally based after school and summer programming for youth of all ages.
NOTE: Allclasses are open to the public, embracing participants from all walks of life. Whether you’re a member of the Native community, an ally, or simply curious, you are welcome here.
Honoring the Legacy of Native Code Talkers
On Veterans Day, AIC paid special tribute to the Native Code Talkers, whose contributions in World War I and World War II helped secure victory for the Allies. Many people know of the Navajo Code Talkers from WWII, but the story actually begins with the Choctaw Code Talkers in WWI. Choctaw soldiers in the U.S. Army’s 36th Infantry Division used their language to transmit secure messages that confounded enemy forces, pioneering the use of Native languages in secure military communications.
According to their website, in WWII, Native speakers from the Navajo, Comanche, Hopi, and other nations were formally recruited by the U.S. military to develop complex codes based on their languages. The Navajo Code Talkers, in particular, created an unbreakable code that was crucial in key battles like Iwo Jima. Their contributions saved countless lives, and their code was so effective it remained classified until 1968.
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Alison Moran-Powers and Dean’s Team Chicago
