The Federal Archeology Program: Secretary of the Interior's Report to Congress, 1996-1997.

To fulfill legislative reporting requirements, this report describes accomplishments of federal agencies with archeological programs, as well as the impact of federal projects on the nation's archeological heritage. In 1991, the Secretary of the Interior outlined actions that agencies should take in (1) preserving and researching sites, (2) preventing looting and vandalism, (3) educating the public, and (4) conserving collections and records. This report examines progress in each of these areas and highlights cooperative efforts with American Indians, Alaska Natives, and Native Hawaiians. These efforts have included involvement of Native groups in archeological research; training and technical assistance to Native groups who wish to do their own archeology; contributions by elders to understanding the cultural context of sites; workshops for Native American educators using archeology to build K-12 curricula; and mentoring of Native youth in preservation. Sections on each of the four areas of concern include a short overview of the situation, followed by program profiles and highlights. The section on reaching out to the public describes an Alaska Native initiative to interpret cultural sites to the public, development of a kit and lesson plans on Chinook culture for use in Washington schools, a virtual school "field trip" to American Indian sites in Virginia, and other school and college activities. Contains many photographs and a list of federal agencies that conduct, sponsor, or license archeology. (SV)