American Indian Oral History: Interview with Ada Deer, Interview Date: 1975 August 28, Date Digitized: 1/26/2017

An oral history interview with Ada Deer. This interview was conducted by S.I. Meyer on August 28, 1975. Deer was a Native American activist and an advocate for social justice. Early in her life, Deer had decided to be involved in helping Native Americans. She earned a Master of Social Work from Columbia University in 1961. Deer had served in many roles: Head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs; faculty for a special Indian project at the University of Minnesota; Director of Upward Bound at the University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point; and one of the founders of the Desis Rising Up & Moving (DRUMS) organization. Deer's work in restoring Menominee tribal rights also helped contribute information to the book "Freedom with Reservation: The Menominee Struggle to Save Their Land and People" by Deborah Shames. This interview was conducted during the period after the restoration of Native American tribes. In this interview, Deer explained the Termination Act and the efforts required to restore tribal recognition for the Menominee people. Deer also discussed the phases that the Menominee people were working on to give the tribe a successful chance at self-determination.