Chilocco History Project

Items

• Oral history interview with George England
  George England (Cherokee), a 1953 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about spending his youth near the school and then attending it. He mentions some of his student experiences and activities he participated in like sports and the school newspaper. England explains his time in the military as a paratrooper and some of his more memorable duties, like protecting the Little Rock Nine students during desegregation. He also discusses his career in the insurance business and his continued involvement with Chilocco.
• Oral history interview with Joe Thornton
  Joe Thornton (Cherokee), a 1934 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his family and how he came to be at the school. He describes a few of his student experiences and how he first became interested in archery. Thornton discusses his time in the U.S. Army, his duties as a radio technician during World War II, and parlaying those skills into a radio and television repair business. He then describes his career as an award-winning archer, his role in archery being included in the Olympics, and various worldwide competitions. Thornton also mentions some of his secrets to living to be a hundred. He also talks about representing the Cherokee Nation and Chilocco throughout his life.
• Oral history interview with Art Hill, Jr.
  Art Hill, Jr. (Cheyenne and Oneida) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School 1979-1980, his freshman year in high school. He talks about his father's connection to Chilocco and his own decision to enroll in the school. Hill shares some of his memories of Chilocco such as being on the football team, learning self-discipline, and taking classes in automobile mechanics. He explains why he joined the military and recalls some of his specific duties. Hill comments on some of the challenges he faced as an Indian man in the military and how that impacted his experiences. He also notes his continued connection to Chilocco.
• Oral history interview with John Peacock
  John Peacock (Shawnee, Kickapoo), a 1969 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about enrolling in the school and adjusting to a new way of life. He describes activities he was involved in such as raising and selling livestock. Peacock explains his thirty years of military service in various branches and how he became interested in the field of communications. He discusses his work with the Indian Health Service and how he is spending his retirement years.
• Oral history interview with Charley Johnson
  Charley Johnson (Creek, Cherokee, Choctaw), a 1964 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his journey to Chilocco and some of his experiences there. He explains how the disciplined nature of Chilocco helped prepare him for life after high school and for life in the military. Johnson shares why he enlisted in the service and about some of his duties stateside and in Vietnam. He mentions his time in jump school and some of the lessons he learned while serving, especially in Germany. Johnson discusses his career and various challenges to returning to regular life after active duty
• Oral history interview with Anile Locust
  Anile Locust (Keetoowah), a 1966 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about her time at the school and how she decided to join the military. She attributes the schedule and shared living spaces of Chilocco to her easy adjust to military life. Locust goes through her twenty-two-year military career and explains some of the challenges she faced as a woman in a male-dominated space. She then describes what she has done since leaving the military and her work with the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians.
• Oral history interview with Charles LeClair
  Charles LeClair (Ponca, Potawatomi, Kaw), a 1948 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his path to Chilocco and some of his experiences there, such as being involved with boxing and learning blacksmithing. He discusses joining the school's National Guard unit and how that led him to volunteer for the Air Force. LeClair describes his military service and explains how he decided to become a Baptist pastor. He discusses his next steps toward being commissioned as a chaplain in the Army. He also comments on his experiences as a chaplain and his time in Vietnam.
• Oral history interview with Dean Hudson
  Dean Hudson (Choctaw), a 1962 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, shares his reasons for attending Chilocco and talks about some of the different activities in which he was involved, especially sports. He explains why he joined the Air Force and discusses some of his military assignments. Hudson discusses his later career in the rodeo and his enjoyment of friendly competition. He also talks about his family and why he participates in Chilocco reunions.
• Oral history interview with Richard Mendez
  Richard Mendez (Shoshone) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in 1964, but left after one year and joined the Marines. He talks about his journey to Chilocco and some of the challenges he faced in his youth. Mendez discusses the regimented schedule of Chilocco and how that helped him learn. He describes his time in the military and some of his experiences working with machine guns in Vietnam during the war. He explains the various positions he held and his service in different conflicts. He then discusses his life after the military and his work with surveying land. Mendez goes on to talk about his later work in the ministry and how it has helped him overcome different issues.
• Oral history interview with Bunnie McCosar
  Bunnie McCosar (Muscogee), a 1956 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about attending Indian boarding schools and about having an interest in military service at an early age. He shares a few of his memories from Chilocco and explains how it prepared him for military life. McCosar discusses his military career and explains the different duties he had as an aviation mechanic and a helicopter pilot trainer. He gives his take on the Vietnam War and the politics involved. McCosar comments on his life after the military, his work as a deacon, and reconnecting with his Creek heritage.
• Oral history interview with Frank Kekahbah
  Frank Kekahbah (Kaw, Potawatomi), a 1954 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his route to Chilocco and his involvement with various school activities. He describes the regimented schedule of Chilocco and relates it to the schedule of the military. Kekahbah discusses his life after graduating including enlisting in the Army. He explains his twenty-year military career and some of the experiences he had during his service, like training in Germany and working with dogs in Vietnam. Kekahbah also talks about his involvement with Gourd Dancing and its connection to the military.
• Oral history interview with Charles Burris
  Charles Burris (Choctaw), a graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, shares some of his memories as a student there where he was involved with athletics and a member of the National Guard unit. He describes how his education in welding led to a job after Chilocco. Burris also talks about the value of the Chilocco reunions to him.
• Oral history interview with Maurice Howe
  Maurice Howe (Ponca) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School as a postgraduate student. He talks about some of his memories as a student and how training in the operation and maintenance of heavy equipment he received there helped shape his career. Howe also discusses his military service in Vietnam where he was assigned to an engineer unit. He recalls experiences working with heavy equipment and describes his career in the construction business.
• Oral history interview with Nathan Benton
  Nathan Benton (Choctaw), an instructor at Chilocco Indian Agricultural School 1956-1980, talks about his childhood and the various Indian schools he attended. He explains how he received an education in the use and maintenance of heavy equipment through his schooling and later in construction work. Benton discusses his time in the U.S. Army maintaining and repairing tanks. He describes how he became a teacher at Chilocco and some of the more important lessons he taught his students. Benton mentions a few specific people from his time at Chilocco and acknowledges how important the vocational education was for students there.
• Oral history interview with Mitchell Cypress
  Mitchell Cypress (Seminole), a 1966 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, recalls moving to Chilocco from Florida and some of the challenges of going to school so far from home. He talks some of his learning experiences and joining the National Guard while a student there. Cypress discusses his time in the military after graduating and some of the unique experiences he had as one of the few Native American soldiers. He describes his career and explains how he became involved in tribal politics and government. Cypress also shares why he continues to come to reunions.
• Oral history interview with Alfred Frejo
  Alfred Frejo (Pawnee) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School as a postgraduate student in the early 1960s. He talks about his time there in the auto mechanics department and how he got involved with the National Guard. Frejo mentions some of the people from Chilocco that remain important to him. He also discusses how diverse the Indian population of Chilocco was and how everyone seemed to be a part of one big tribe at the school. He describes his military service and his assignment in a supply and transportation unit. Frejo explains his career path and his continued involvement with veteran groups. He also acknowledges how special Chilocco is to him and what he would like to see happen with the school.
• Oral history interview with Amos Harjo Jr.
  Amos Harjo Jr. (Seminole) attended Chilocco Indian Agricultural School in the 1960s and before completing high school he joined the military. He recalls his time at Chilocco where he participated in athletics and received vocational training. Harjo talks about his three tours in the military, serving in different groups and being stationed in Vietnam. He goes into detail about some of his experiences in the Army and the challenges he faced coming back. Harjo mentions how Chilocco had prepared him for the military and acknowledges why it is important to him to stay connected to Chilocco.
• Oral history interview with Davene Alford
  Davene Alford (Creek and Seneca), a 1946 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, followed in the footsteps of her family to attend the school. She talks about her family's history with the school and shares some of her own personal memories from her time there as a student. Alford discusses her husband, also a graduate of Chilocco, and some of the work that he did, including his work in the school�s National Guard unit. She explains the type of skills she learned while there such as laundry, cooking, and sewing. Alford also acknowledges the role Chilocco has played in her life.
• Oral history interview with T. J. Burris
  T. J. Burris (Choctaw), a 1951 graduate of Chilocco Indian Agricultural School, talks about his life before Chilocco and some of his experiences as a student. He discusses joining Chilocco�s National Guard unit and some of his later experiences serving in the U.S. Navy. Burris shares his career path and acknowledges the role Chilocco played. He also explains why he returns for school reunions.