Buy the Chief a Cadillac

[Stumpfoot]

Just finished a book by Rick Steber called Buy the Chief a Cadillac. Its a semi fictional account based on the all too real Klamath Termination act of 1954. The book takes place in 1961 when the Indians finally receive their settlement of $43,000 per tribal member. He recounts very vividly the squalor these people live in and how most of them threw one long party until the money was gone. The act "bought" the land and the Klamath people were no longer recognized as a tribe.

Steber focuses, on how three Klamath brothers react to the loss and the money as they prepare to receive the latter. Rollin, called Chief, is the eldest brother; he's a violent alcoholic  Creek is a college student who covets a red Corvette and can see little beyond that. Half-brother Pokey, who is half-white, doesn't want the money at all.

This of course was just part of the bigger indian termination act that sought to assimilate indians into American culture.

This book was a great read. The "old" reservation is about two hours south of me, just north of Klamath Falls.

[scout1067]

Sounds like an interesting read.  I have never heard of the Indian Termination Act.