About Tundra times. [volume] (Fairbanks, Alaska) 1962-1997
Fairbanks, Alaska (1962-1997)

Tundra times

The Tundra times was started in Fairbanks on October 1, 1962 by Howard Rock, an Iñupiat Alaska Native from Point Hope. Rock was assisted by Tom Snapp, a journalist who had worked for the Fairbanks Daily News-Miner and helped to teach Rock about the newspaper trade. The times was created to air and reflect the views and policies of Alaska Native people, and to keep them informed on matters of interest to them. Snapp was able to secure early funding for the times when he reached out to Henry Forbes, president of the American Association of Indian Affairs. Forbes agreed to guarantee $35,000 for the paper's first year and supported it for years after. The Eskimo, Indian, Aleut Publishing Co. was formed in 1965 and shares were sold to help raise funds for the Tundra times. Rock served as editor of the times until his death in 1976.

The creation of the Tundra times was precipitated by a proposed plan by the Atomic Energy Commission (AEC) to create a harbor near Point Hope, Alaska, by detonating nuclear bombs deep underground. The plan, called Project Chariot, brought Iñupiat people together in opposition. Rock helped to draft letters to government officials and distribute the recordings of meetings with the AEC to other Iñupiat villages. This episode highlighted the importance of having an organized voice for Alaska Native people, and the Tundra times made Alaska Native issues and concerns impossible for politicians to ignore. This point was underscored in the third issue, when the times asked candidates for governor about their views on issues affecting Alaska Natives and printed their responses.

One of Rock's most popular columns was called Arctic Survival, which relayed information about Alaska Native methods and strategies for survival. Much of the content in the Tundra times was submitted by its readers from villages around Alaska. The masthead of the times featured a drawing done by Rock himself that had dog sleds, moose, caribou, and several homes. The masthead also included phrases in Athabaskan and Iñupiaq, and later added phrases in Aleut, and Tlingit, too, to represent a broader range of Alaska Native cultures.

After Rock's death, Tom Richards, Jr., became publisher and in 1978 moved the paper to Anchorage to be closer to the Alaska Native Federation and several Alaska Native corporation offices. Some of the corporations began providing financial assistance to the times. With a secure financial footing and a new location, the circulation nearly doubled in a year from 3,400 to 6,000. At this time, the paper was a weekly that had special full-color editions every 2 months, which generated much more revenue. The estimated reach of the paper at the time was 42,000 people in 200 villages. It also sold internationally and around the country, as it was considered a good barometer of the issues affecting Alaska Native people and their views. In 1997, the Alaska Native corporations withdrew support and the paper soon folded.

Provided by: Alaska State Library Historical Collections