Series:

American Indian Relocation Project

Topic:

American Indian History

Biographical Note:

Ho-Chunk. Came to Los Angeles as part pf the American Indian Relocation.

Interviewer:

Bayhylle, Ruth

Interviewee:

Big Soldier, LeRoy

Persons Present:

Big Soldier and Bayhylle.

Place Conducted:

United American Indian Involvement office in Los Angeles, California.

Supporting Documents:

Records relating to the interview are located in the office of the UCLA Library’s Center for Oral History Research.

Interviewer Background and Preparation:

The interview was conducted by Ruth Bayhylle, interviewer, UCLA Center for Oral History Research; Ph.D., Information Studies, UCLA. She is a longstanding resident of Los Angeles with an ongoing connection to native communities.

Processing of Interview:

The transcript is a verbatim transcription of the recording. It was transcribed by a professional transcribing agency using a list of proper names and specialized terminology supplied by the interviewer. Big Soldier was then given an opportunity to review the transcript but made no corrections or additions.

Length:

1 hr.

Language:

English

Copyright:

Regents of the University of California, UCLA Library.

Audio:

Series Statement:

The interviews in the series American Indian Relocation Project document the experience of American Indians who came to Los Angeles as part of the Bureau of Indian Affairs' urban relocation program in the 1950s and 1960s. The initial interviews were conducted by students in Professor Peter Nabokov's American Indian Studies 200A class. The Center for Oral History Research then conducted additional interviews to expand on those first student interviews.

Early family History—Relocation to Los Angeles—Adult education for G.E.D and high school diploma—Employment experiences—Religious affiliations—Foster home experiences—Los Angeles riots— Father's imprisonment —Personal alcoholism—Rehabilitation programs—Alcoholism among family members .