Maine Indian Newsletter facts for kids
The Maine Indian Newsletter was a special newspaper published every month. It came out from 1966 to 1972. It was printed in Gardiner and Freeport, Maine. The office was on Pine Street in Freeport. People sent their stories and money to this address.
The newsletter was created by ssipsis, also known as Eugenia T. Thompson. She was from the Penobscot tribe and lived on Indian Island. Volunteers helped her edit the newsletter. Its main goal was to share news and "serve the Indians in Maine." It had news, stories, ads, and art that were important to Native American people.
Why It Started
The Maine Indian Newsletter began during the Red Power movement. This was a time in the 1960s and 1970s. Native American people worked hard to unite their communities. They wanted to stand up for their rights and land. They felt their rights had been taken away since Europeans first arrived. The newsletter's 1972 cover even showed a "Red Power" message.
Native Americans wanted their own news sources. They felt that mainstream news often showed them unfairly. For example, they believed reports about the Wounded Knee Occupation in the early 1970s were not accurate. Because more Native American newspapers started, the American Indian Press Association was formed. This group helped make Native American journalism better. It also worked to create a national Native press. This press could share Native American news widely.
When the Maine Indian Newsletter was being published, the Penobscot people and the Passamaquoddy tribe were in court. They were suing the State of Maine. They said Maine had broken old land treaties. They believed they had a right to 12 million acres of land. Many newsletter issues talked about these land rights. Two years after the newsletter stopped, the tribes won their case.
What Was Inside
The newsletter was sent to readers by mail every month. Each issue was about 16 to 20 pages long. It was printed in black and white. The editor, ssipsis, typed each article by hand.
Unlike some tribal newsletters, this one was not made by a tribal government. It was produced by private individuals. Its look was like many other independent Native American newspapers of that time. They were small, monthly papers made cheaply by a small team. They often looked like local small-town newspapers. The editor often added informal and funny notes next to the articles.
The content covered many topics. It had local news from the Indian Island reservation. This included births, deaths, and tribal meeting notes. It also shared national news and laws important to Native Americans. Other parts included stories, jokes, comics, and letters from readers. There were also ads for Native businesses.
Earlier issues often reprinted stories from other Native and non-Native newspapers. These included the Bangor Daily News and Navajo Times. Readers were encouraged to send in their own contributions, and they often did.
The newsletter was meant for Native Americans in Maine. But readers also included people from other tribes and even non-Native people. Because of this, starting in January 1968, non-Native people had to pay a $2 subscription fee. The newsletter remained free for Native Americans.
The fee was meant to help the newsletter pay for itself. Some national newsletters charge money. But local ones, like The Chehalis Tribal Newsletter, often do not. Local publications usually want to help their community directly.
Some stories from the October 1967 issue were later continued. For example, the Pine Tree Legal Assistance group was mentioned in October 1967. More information about them appeared in the February 1968 issue.
