ABSTRACT
Thousands of American Indians have moved off reservations into cities and towns across the United States to find jobs. According to the 1990 census, more than 26,000 American Indians live in New York City, nearly triple the number in 1980, making them one of the fastest-growing minorities in the city. "Most tribal customs are to take place on the earth," said Rosemary Richmond, the director of the American Indian Community House, a center that provides services and sponsors cultural events for Indians in New York and is currently marking its 25th year. Many who come to New York face difficulty finding work and decent housing. Indian organizations say they have a group unemployment rate of more than 45 percent, and many families live below the poverty level. A fair number of New York's Indians work in construction, though far more are in artistic fields.
