North American Indian Center of Boston facts for kids
The North American Indian Center of Boston, Inc. (NAICOB) is a special group that helps Native Americans, Native Canadians, Alaska Natives, Native Hawaiians, and other Indigenous peoples in North America. It is a nonprofit organization, which means it works to help people rather than make money. NAICOB is located in Jamaica Plain, a neighborhood in Boston, Massachusetts.
NAICOB's main goal is to help Indigenous people become more independent and improve their lives. They do this by offering programs and services related to health, job training, education, housing, and other important areas. They want to help the community grow stronger and understand different cultures better.
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How NAICOB Started
The NAICOB began as the Boston Indian Council (BIC) on October 20, 1970. Before this, meetings were held in 1969. During this time, more and more Native Americans were moving to cities like Boston. Groups like the BIC were created to offer important services, such as health care.
Some of the people who helped start the BIC included writer Mildred Noble, psychologist Carolyn Attneave, and activist Anna Mae Aquash. Artist Philip Young also helped; both Anna Mae Aquash and Philip Young were from the Mi'kmaq nation. Shirley Moore Mills, from the Mashpee Wampanoag Tribe, was the secretary for the group's leaders. In 1970, the BIC joined with members of the American Indian Movement for a "Day of Mourning" in Patuxet. This day was held to remember Native American history, in contrast to the holiday of Thanksgiving.
The center sometimes published a newsletter called The Circle. A well-known Ojibwe author named Louise Erdrich was one of the editors of this paper. The BIC also helped create school lessons for Boston Public Schools. These lessons taught about the Indigenous cultures of Maine and the Maritimes, where many BIC members came from. The center also took part in different forms of activism, like a protest in 1973 against a reenactment of the Boston Tea Party.
What NAICOB Does Today
In 1991, the organization became a formal nonprofit corporation. Today, it helps about 6,000 Native Americans living in and around the greater Boston area. NAICOB also works with tribal councils in other parts of Massachusetts and other states along the East Coast.
NAICOB has several important projects. These include programs for finding jobs and training, family services, and a special program for tribal scholars.
Helping Families
NAICOB has been a leader in creating services for grandparents who are raising their grandchildren. These are sometimes called "skip generation" families. This happens when parents are not able to care for their children, and the grandparents step in to help.
Learning and Jobs
NAICOB offers classes to help people learn computer skills. They also help members find jobs and prepare for job interviews.
How NAICOB is Run
NAICOB is guided by a group of seven leaders called the Board of Directors. All of these leaders are Native American, and they are chosen by the members of NAICOB.
NAICOB is located at 105 South Huntington Avenue in Jamaica Plain, MA. You can get there using Boston's public transportation, like the MBTA Green line E train or an MBTA bus. Joining NAICOB is free for all American Indians, Alaska Natives, First Nations (Indigenous People of Canada), and Native Hawaiians who live in or near Boston.
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