FNA Stand
Fairbanks Native Association's booth selling items at Griffin Park, Fairbanks, Alaska, 1963.
Founding of the Fairbanks Native Association (FNA): A "Social Organization"
The Fairbanks Native Association began as a modest association whose members were interested in improving life for Alaska Native peoples in Fairbanks. The first meeting of the FNA was held on March 29, 1963, and Ralph Perdue took on the role of president. The FNA was incorporated as a non-profit corporation on January 25, 1967. According to Ralph Perdue, FNA was originally concerned with the treatment of Native peoples in Fairbanks. Starting in the 1950's, the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) had been encouraging Alaska Natives from around the state to move to the urban centers such as Fairbanks for jobs. Unfortunately, there was little support in the city for newcomers. Perdue noted that FNA was a "social organization" aimed at helping people, and that over the years, FNA expanded to take over many BIA programs, "serving the people more efficiently than what was being done before" (ORAL HISTORY 91-24). Richard Frank, who served as FNA President in 1968, noted that FNA quickly became a place for people to gather locally. It was "a local Native government to help people with health, education, employment..." (ORAL HISTORY 92-05-03). Jules Wright emphasized that FNA was not just for Fairbanks, but rather was a voice for people from the villages who had little influence in the city (ORAL HISTORY 92-05-24).