Dr. Lehman L. Brightman On American Indian Studies

KRON-TV news footage from June 24th 1970 featuring a press conference at UC Berkeley's Dwinelle Hall by Dr. Lehman L. Brightman (1930-2017), a Sioux and Creek American Indian who founded United Native Americans Inc. in 1968. The San Francisco Chronicle newspaper of June 25th 1970 (article on p.48) states that Dr. Brightman was protesting against what he referred to as discrimination by the college against it's 57 American Indian Students. The program he taught was started in 1969 with a budget of $37,000 and 2 instructors and this year Brightman asked for a budget increase to $214,000 with 5 additional instructors. The school was tentatively offering a new budget of $92,000 with one additional part time instructor. Dr. Brightman attacks the stereotypes of American Indian culture propagated by popular TV shows and Hollywoood movies (citing the newly relased movie 'A Man Called Horse') and claims that in his classes: "We find we're breaking down the racial barriers." He goes on to criticize the widespread ignorance of American Indian history and culture in America and claims: "What they teach in this country is European history, under the guise of American history. Because you don't find a damn thing about Indians in your history books.