Urban Rez
“Native people came to cities looking for certain things that they needed – not to become like everybody else.” – Donald L. Fixico, Ph.D. (Shawnee/Sac & Fox/Muscogee Creek/Seminole)
Urban Rez explores the controversial legacy and modern day effects of the federal government’s assimilation policies that relocated American Indians from reservations to urban areas in order to end the Indian Reservation system. Firsthand experiences richly illustrate the Voluntary Relocation Program, which constituted the greatest upheaval of the American Indian population during the 20th century and how different generations from different tribes perceived their new urban landscape.
Educational Resources: Viewer Discussion Guide; Educational Guide
Program Length: 57 minutes
Produced, Written and Edited by: Lisa D. Olken
Directed by: Larry Pourier (Lakota)
Director of Photography: Boots Kennedye (Kiowa)
Production Company: Rocky Mountain PBS
Format: DVD
The Website for Urban Rez
Public Broadcast Release: November 2013
