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TIMELINE
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  • ABOUT
  • TIMELINE
  • Virtual winter counts
  • NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
  • Contact
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ABOUT
TIMELINE
Virtual winter counts
NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
Contact
More
  • ABOUT
  • TIMELINE
  • Virtual winter counts
  • NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
  • Contact
  • ABOUT
  • TIMELINE
  • Virtual winter counts
  • NEWSLETTER ARCHIVES
  • Contact
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NYC American Indian Queen Mary Helen Deer in 1966!

AICH Timeline:

Please note this timeline will constantly change as more information becomes available please check back for updates.


AICH Executive Directors

1. Executive Director - Mike A. Bush (Mohawk) - 1969-?

2. Executive Director - Rosemary Richmond (Mohawk) - 1973-2010

3. Executive Director - Anthony Hunter (Shinnecock) - 2011-?

4. Executive Director - Joann ?

5. Executive Director - L. Buddy Gwin (Lumbee) 

6. Interim Executive Director - Francis Grumbly (Mohawk) - 2011-2012

7. Executive Director - Christine Funamaker (Ho-Chunk) - 2012-2013

8. Executive Director - Kevin Tarrant (Ho-Chunk) - 2013-2016

9. Interim Executive Director - Ben Geboe (Yankton Sioux) - 2016-2018

10. Interim Executive Director - Curtis Harris-Davia (San Carlos Apache) - September 2018 to July 2019

11. Executive Director - Melissa Oakes (Akwasne Mohawk) - October 2019 to present


Rosemary Richmond former executive director of the American Indian Community House.  Rosemary Richmond (Akwesasne Mohawk of the Bear Clan) was third-generation American Indian Community Member of New York City.  She had worked for the American Indian Community House (AICH) from 1975, and was selected as AICH’s Executive Director in 1987 and served until 2010.  Rosemary’s work with the Native Community was influential and her mentorship impacted many native lives.  Rosemary worked tirelessly and her dedication to serving natives is evident through the programs that are still available at the community house.  Her work was not just necessary but inspirational and her loss was shared by all.


"There was a community here in the metropolitan area in new york city.  Going back to the 20’s, and there were informal meetings, informal groups that got together and did different things.  Sometimes they did performance, but during that period of time, Indian people who came to new york city came for a number of reasons primarily with wild west shows or because they were in some form of show business.  And that was how they made their living in show business.  They danced and made crafts and did that from Madison square garden to broadway theaters to expositions at the armories."  -Rosemary Richmond


"There’s always been a community here and there have been families that came by then there were second generation almost third generation but third generation was quite young of Indian people throughout the five boroughs.  And they still had an informal system of getting together for different things.  A group of them Mifaunwy Hines, Louis Mofsie, Oren Lyons who was then living here in new york and a few other people got together and with the help of Dr. Robert Venables put together the American Indian Community House.” -Rosemary Richmond


"There were various places that people had meetings at different fraternal organizations, I know there was a swedish club in brooklyn that the indian league used to meet at." -Rosemary Richmond


Below Photo Courtesy of Mary Helen Deer Smith from an article in The NY Times.

Some of the original organizers of the American Indian Community House, 

By 1960, approximately 800 Mohawks (ironworkers and their families) lived in “Little Caughnawaga”, while others continued the weekly commute from and to reserves and reservations in southern Canada and upstate New York.1 Italian grocery stores began to stock Quaker White Enriched and Degerminated Corn Meal, used by the Mohawks to make corn soup and boiled bread.

www.aich.org

American Indian Women's League of NYC

1969

1969

1969

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"The community house I think was meeting at the community church on 35th street and after it was created they had small donated office space that was probably maybe not quite this much space that’s here in this office and it was just a handful maybe 2 or 3 people and they did presentations at women’s groups and various places and used whatever funds they received to help indian people in need.  It was a small scale operation." -Rosemary Richmond

1970

1969

1969

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American Indian Community House

E. 35th Street

New York, NY, 10016

1971

1969

1971

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American Indian Community House
E. 35th Street
New York, NY, 10016

1972

1972

1971

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American Indian Community House
E. 35th Street
New York, NY, 10016

1973

1972

1973

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American Indian Community House
E. 35th Street
New York, NY, 10016

1974

1972

1973

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American Indian Community House
E. 35th Street
New York, NY, 10016

1975

1975

1975

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American Indian Community House
E. 35th Street
New York, NY, 10016

to

American Indian Community House

10 E. 38th Street

New York, NY, 10016

1976

1975

1975

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American Indian Community House

10 E. 38th Street

New York, NY, 10016

1977

1975

1977

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American Indian Community House

10 E. 38th Street

New York, NY, 10016

1978

1978

1977

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American Indian Community House

10 E. 38th Street

New York, NY, 10016

1979

1978

1979

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American Indian Community House

10 E. 38th Street

New York, NY, 10016

1980

1978

1979

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American Indian Community House

10 E. 38th Street

New York, NY, 10016

to

American Indian Community House

842 Broadway St.

New York, NY, 10003

1980 - In the 1980s the church was transformed into a deluxe apartment building, but something of its old doorway—announcing Cuyler Church in ornate lettering—remains.  Meanwhile local Reverend (and legend) David Munroe Cory learned the Mohawk-Oneida language for his congregation at Cuyler Presbyterian Church (358-360 Pacific Street in Brooklyn, New York, New York)  

1981

1981

1981

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American Indian Community House

842 Broadway St.

New York, NY, 10003

1982

1981

1981

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American Indian Community House

842 Broadway St.

New York, NY, 10003

1983

1981

1983

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American Indian Community House

842 Broadway St.

New York, NY, 10003

1984

1984

1983

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American Indian Community House

842 Broadway St.

New York, NY, 10003

1985

1984

1985

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American Indian Community House

842 Broadway St., 8th Floor

New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Michael A. Bush

1986

1984

1985

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American Indian Community House

842 Broadway St.

New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Michael A. Bush

1987

1987

1987

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American Indian Community House

842 Broadway St.

New York, NY, 10003

1988

1987

1987

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American Indian Community House

842 Broadway St.

New York, NY, 10003

1989

1987

1989

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American Indian Community House

842 Broadway St.

New York, NY, 10003

to

American Indian Community House

404 Lafayette Street

New York, NY, 10003

1990

1990

1989

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American Indian Community House

404 Lafayette Street

New York, NY, 10003

1991

1990

1991

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American Indian Community House

404 Lafayette Street

New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond

1992

1990

1991

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American Indian Community House

404 Lafayette Street

New York, NY, 10003

 Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

1993

1993

1993

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American Indian Community House

404 Lafayette Street

New York, NY, 10003

 Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

1994

1993

1993

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American Indian Community House

404 Lafayette Street

New York, NY, 10003

Celebrates 25th Year Anniversary

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond

1995

1993

1995

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American Indian Community House

404 Lafayette Street

New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

1996

1996

1995

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American Indian Community House

404 Lafayette Street

New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

1997

1996

1997

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American Indian Community House

404 Lafayette Street

New York, NY, 10003

to

The American Indian Community House
708 Broadway, 8th Floor
New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

1998

1996

1997

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The American Indian Community House
708 Broadway, 8th Floor
New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

1999

2001: 9/11 Winter

1999

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The American Indian Community House
708 Broadway, 8th Floor
New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2000

2001: 9/11 Winter

1999

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The American Indian Community House
708 Broadway, 8th Floor
New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2001: 9/11 Winter

2001: 9/11 Winter

2001: 9/11 Winter

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The American Indian Community House
708 Broadway, 8th Floor
New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2001 - THE YEAR PLANES FELL FROM THE SKY:  2001Tasunka Ota Win Waniyetu Wowapi (Her Many Horses Winter Count) Emil Her Many Horses

This was the year terrorist planes flew into the World Trade Center in New York City and the Pentagon in Washington DC. Dawson, the son of my older brother Leo, was in school at Columbia University in New York City at the time.  Dawson’s Lakota name is Wakan Takopa, or First Holy.  He was named for Dawson No Horse, one of our grandfathers who was a Sun Dance leader and a medicine man.  He was given his Lakota name by Robert Stead, a well-known Sicangu spiritual leader, at the Rosebud Fair when he was about a year old.  I myself was working in Suitland, Maryland, a Washington Suburb, when the plane flew into the Pentagon.  I am a curator at the NMAI.  My Lakota name is Taopi Cikala, or Little Wound.  Many family and friends called to find out whether we were safe. 

2002

2002

2001: 9/11 Winter

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The American Indian Community House
708 Broadway, 8th Floor
New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2003

2002

2003

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The American Indian Community House
708 Broadway, 8th Floor
New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2004

2002

2003

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The American Indian Community House
708 Broadway, 8th Floor
New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2005

2005

2005

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The American Indian Community House

708 Broadway, 8th Floor

New York, NY, 10003

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2006

2005

2005

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The American Indian Community House

708 Broadway, 8th Floor

New York, NY, 10003

to

The American Indian Community House
11 Broadway, 2nd Floor
New York, NY, 10004

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2007

2005

2007

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The American Indian Community House
11 Broadway, 2nd Floor
New York, NY, 10004

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2008

2008

2007

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The American Indian Community House

11 Broadway, 2nd Floor

New York, NY, 10004

Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2009

2008

2009

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Executive Director: Rosemary Richmond 

2010

2008

2009

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2010 - AICH Executive Director - Rosemary Richmond retires since serving in 1987.

2011: Resilience Winter

2011: Resilience Winter

2011: Resilience Winter

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Interim Executive Director: Francis Grumbly 

click here to view video

2012

2011: Resilience Winter

2011: Resilience Winter

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Interim Executive Director: Francis Grumbly

to 

Executive Director: Christine Funamaker

2013

2011: Resilience Winter

2013

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American Indian Community House

134 West 29th Street, 4th Floor

New York, NY, 10001

Executive Director: Christine Funamaker to Kevin Tarrant 

2014

2015: Spirit World Winter

2013

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American Indian Community House

134 West 29th Street, 4th Floor

New York, NY, 10001

Executive Director: Kevin Tarrant 

2015: Spirit World Winter

2015: Spirit World Winter

2015: Spirit World Winter

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American Indian Community House

254 West 29th Street, 2nd Floor

New York, NY, 10001

Executive Director - Kevin Tarrant

Staff, Board, and Community Members of AICH perform the opening blessing during World AIDS Day, December 1st, 2015 at the Apollo Theater.  The Silvercloud Drum Group opens with a song which is followed by a spoken word prayer while a women’s Traditional Dancer, Jingle Dress Dancer, Fancy Shawl Dancer, Men’s Traditional Dancer, Grass Dancer and community members danced with historical epidemic winter counts.

2016: Activism Winter

2015: Spirit World Winter

2015: Spirit World Winter

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American Indian Community House

254 West 29th Street, 2nd Floor

New York, NY, 10001

to

American Indian Community House

39 Eldridge Street, 4th Floor

New York, NY, 10002

Executive Director - Kevin Tarrant

to Ben Geboe

2017: Indian Health Service Winter

2017: Indian Health Service Winter

2017: Indian Health Service Winter

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American Indian Community House

39 Eldridge Street, 4th floor, New York, NY, 10002


Interim Executive Director and Director of the Health Department: Ben Geboe

2018: Volunteer Winter

2017: Indian Health Service Winter

2017: Indian Health Service Winter

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American Indian Community House

39 Eldridge Street, 4th floor, New York, NY, 10002


September 7th, 2018 - New AICH Volunteer Executive Director: Curtis Harris-Davia

click here to watch video

2019: 50 Winters Winter

2017: Indian Health Service Winter

2019: 50 Winters Winter

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American Indian Community House

39 Eldridge Street, 4th floor, New York, NY, 10002


October 1st, 2019 - New Executive Director: Melissa
Oakes

Celebrating 50 years of serving the Native American, First Nations, Indigenous community of New York City and the Metropolitan area.

Copyright © 2018 Aich50winters - All Rights Reserved.

American Indian Community House 50 Winters Project