Radical Women, Sponsor/Advertiser, and U.S. Freedom Socialist Party, Norrgard, Lenore, photographer. Public forum: Native American women in action: many fronts, one struggle. Washington State Seattle United States Washington, 1976. Photograph. https://www.loc.gov/item/2016649889/.
This poster is a valuable curriculum resource as it amplifies the often-overlooked voices of Indigenous women in United States history. It disrupts the potential for tokenization by highlighting a community of unique Indigenous women united for a shared cause. The speakers highlighted the idea that, while individuals may face vulnerability, collective action fosters strength—a powerful message for students learning to build community and collaborate toward common goals.
Additionally, this source brings attention to the rights denied to Native Americans—specifically Native American women—including legal protections and cultural preservation, and in many cases, their physical and cultural right to exist. At the same time, it offers an asset-based perspective by portraying these women as proud of their culture and identity and as active participants in a broader movement that created space for hope and progress within their community.
Through this poster, students can deepen their understanding of Native American women's experiences, practice critical thinking, and recognize the ongoing need for awareness and advocacy.
This photograph captures a poster for a public forum held in 1976 at the University of Washington in Seattle. The poster’s title, written in red on a white background, reads “Native American Women in Action: Many Fronts, One Struggle.” Below the title, the speakers are listed along with brief descriptions:
- Sally Fixico: Member of various Indian and Third World organizations.
- Jante McCloud: Steering committee member, Native American Rights Fund.
- Barbara Means: Founding member, Oglala Sioux Civil Rights Organization, Pine Ridge.
- Yvonne Wanrow: Mother facing prison for defending her children.
The chairperson, Madlyne Scott, is listed below the speakers. The date, time, and location of the event are provided: Friday, October 22, 8 p.m., HUB Auditorium, University of Washington, Seattle. Admission was by a $2.00 door donation.
The poster notes that the event was hosted under the auspices of Campus Radical Women and the Freedom Socialist Party. In the bottom-right corner, attendees are advised to contact Freeway Hall at 3815 5th Ave. N.E., Seattle, WA 98105, for information or childcare, via (206) 632-7449 or 632-1815. The credits at the bottom include Freedom Socialist Publications.
- This photograph depicts a poster for the public forum titled “Native American Women in Action: Many Fronts, One Struggle,” held in 1976. The forum was part of a broader movement advocating for Native American women, intersecting with the larger American Indian Movement (AIM), which gained momentum following the occupations of Alcatraz Island and Wounded Knee. According to The New York History Museum, the women speaking at the forum emphasized “cultural integrity, self-determination, tribal sovereignty, economic independence, and direct action” to combat systemic inequities. These inequities included the unjust treatment of Yvonne Wanrow, a mother facing imprisonment for defending her child.
- This photograph is part of a collection donated by Gary Yanker, described as “a collector of political and social propaganda posters.” The Library of Congress notes that “the majority of the posters were published in the 1960s and 1970s, a time of great upheaval in world politics and society.”
- Why is community important for those who have been systematically disenfranchised, and how has this manifested specifically for Native American women in the United States?
- What is the history and significance of the Freedom Socialist Party, Radical Women, and the Native American women named on this poster? How did their interests intersect at the public forum highlighted?
- Whose stories are often prioritized over those of the individuals featured in this poster? Why might that be the case, and what steps can we take to amplify these underrepresented voices moving forward?
- Where and how are Indigenous women represented in US history and literature? What strategies can we use to include more Native American women’s voices in mainstream discourse and American culture, as well as fight stereotypes where they exist?
- What obstacles have Native American women faced in accessing basic rights in the United States, such as citizenship and the right to vote, and how have they resisted and overcome these challenges?
NCTE Standards
NCTE.7: Students conduct research on issues and interests by generating ideas and questions, and by posing problems. They gather, evaluate, and synthesize data from a variety of sources (e.g., print and non-print texts, artifacts, people) to communicate their discoveries in ways that suit their purpose and audience.
- Incorporating this poster into the classroom offers numerous inquiry-based opportunities. Students can engage in research, write about and discuss their findings, draw inferences, and pose additional questions to deepen their understanding.
NCTE.11: Students participate as knowledgeable, reflective, creative, and critical members of a variety of literacy communities.
- This poster encourages students to practice critical thinking while reflecting on their learning about Indigenous women, their history, and their accomplishments. It also fosters opportunities for creative and informed participation in discussions about these topics.
- There are many potential lenses that educators could use to frame research projects inspired by this poster. For example, this poster brings to light many individuals whom students may not recognize. Educators might consider leading a project in which groups focus on the speakers and the personal stories that led them to participate in this forum. If educators wish to broaden the scope of research, students can explore the histories and evolving missions of the different parties represented at this public forum, including Radical Women, the Freedom Socialist Party, and the Native American Rights Fund, among others. Pairing this research with fictional literature that reflects the ethos of these groups could further enhance students’ understanding. For instance, students studying socialism could read John Steinbeck’s The Grapes of Wrath or The Pearl, while those studying Radical Women could read This Bridge Called My Back, Fourth Edition: Writings by Radical Women of Color, edited by Cherríe Moraga and Gloria Anzaldúa.
- Through an intersectional lens, there are many opportunities for students to explore these women’s experiences as they relate to both gender and race. Educators could start with the framework of “Essential Understandings about American Indians” from the National Museum of the American Indian. Using this lens, students could research and present the history of Native American women’s rights, such as their struggles for the right to vote or citizenship. The New York History Museum outlines aspects of this history, and the 19th Amendment could serve as a starting point. Students might present their findings as a timeline, either detailing specific events before and after 1976 that directly impacted Native women or tracing the contributions of individual Native American women, such as Janet McCloud. To focus on public policy and events, educators could include Native women from diverse geographical locations in the United States, incorporating their unique tribal affiliations and experiences to avoid perpetuating stereotypes.
- Alternatively, this poster offers opportunities for representation-focused inquiry work. Using Myra Sadker’s seven forms of bias as a guide, educators could lead a literature-focused study of historical and contemporary representations of Native American women in the United States. Students might analyze primary sources like this poster from the 1970s and compare it to present-day representations of Native American women in literature and media. By reading works by and about Indigenous women writers, such as Leslie Marmon Silko, Joy Harjo, and Louise Erdrich, students could explore themes of healing and hope across generations. They could then contrast these works with representations created by non-Indigenous writers or media producers. Educators might begin with Joy Harjo’s first poetry collection, The Last Song (1975), and Leslie Marmon Silko’s short story “Lullaby,” set in the 1970s. Students could compare these narratives to modern representations of Indigenous women using resources such as Joy Harjo’s “Living Nations, Living Words" project and Native Women in Film and Television in All Media.
- The potential for challenge is likely political in nature, given that the original event was sponsored by the Campus Radical Women and the Freedom Socialist Party. Alternatively, some objections might stem from resistance to centering Indigenous women as a critical part of United States history—objections that may be rooted in racism, misogyny, or both.
Challenge resources:
- To address these concerns, educators could provide resources such as the “Universe of Obligation” framework from Facing History and Ourselves. These resources can help contextualize the importance of centering Indigenous women’s voices, not only to honor and celebrate their contributions to our nation but also to highlight and combat the alarming rate of violence against Indigenous women in America.
- All of these resources are designed to assist educators in recentering the educational goal: to promote critical thinking, offer diverse perspectives, and teach information literacy. This approach is supported by the NCTE and Common Core standards, and this Edutopia article supports the need for these inclusive and thoughtful educational practices.
- If objections arise regarding the use of this poster in schools, educators can present other options from the same time period. For instance, a poster from the same location and year, titled “A New Era for Women Workers, Minority Women and Lesbians,” could be used as an alternative.
- Additionally, more contemporary primary sources, such as poems from Joy Harjo’s project “Living Nation, Living Words,” provide a powerful lens into the lived experiences of Indigenous women writers in the United States today.
- “Native American Women in Action.” n.d. Freedom Socialist Party. https://socialism.com/fs-article/native-american-women-in-action/.
- This source has more information on the context of the individuals in the poster, and this might serve as a resource for students during their research efforts.
- “Native Knowledge 360° | Search NK360° Educational Resources.” n.d. Americanindian.si.edu. https://americanindian.si.edu/nk360/lessons-resources/search-resources.
- This is an educational resource from the National Museum of the American Indian that can help with historical context and help students to reflect on their own biases.