UNITED STATES

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS
 
 
 
 

CORPORATE CHARTER

OF THE

NOME ESKIMO COMMUNITY

ALASKA
 
 
 
 

RATIFIED NOVEMBER 23, 1939
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

UNITED STATES

GOVERNMENT PRINTING OFFICE

WASHINGTON : 1940



 
 
 
 
 

CORPORATE CHARTER OF THE NOME ESKIMO COMMUNITY

A FEDERAL CORPORATION CHARTERED UNDER THE ACT OF
JUNE 18, 1934, AS AMENDED BY THE ACT OF MAY 1, 1936

    Whereas, a group of Eskimos having a common bond of together in Nome, Territory of Alaska, seek to organize under Sections 16 and 17 of the Act of June 18, 1934, and Section 1 of the Act of May 1, 1936 by adoption of a constitution and by-laws and a charter approved by the Secretary of the Interior,

    Now, therefore, I, Oscar L. Chapman, Assistant Secretary of the Interior, by virtue of the authority given to me by the above acts, do hereby submit this charter of incorporation to the group of Eskimos so organizing.

    SECTION 1. Purpose and Name.-In order to enable the Community and its members to do various kinds of business for their good, the Community is hereby chartered as a corporation of the United States of America under the name of "Nome Eskimo Community".

    SEC. 2. Membership.-The corporation shall be a membership corporation, consisting of all persons of the Community considered members under the rules of its Constitution.

    SEC. 3. Management.-The corporation shall be managed by the governing body set up under the constitution.

    SEC. 4. Powers.-The corporation shall have the power to do the following things:

To own, hold, manage and dispose of all community property;

To make, contracts;

To sue and be sued;

To borrow money from the revolving Indian credit fund and to use it under a loan contract;

To enter into any business or activity that will better the condition of the community and its members;

To do such other things as may be necessary to carry on the business and activities of the Community.

    SEC. 5. Limits to Powers.-In using its powers the corporation must not do the following things:
Go against any law or the constitution and by-laws of the Community;

Sell or mortgage any land set aside as a reserve for the Community;

Make leases, permits or contracts covering any lands or waters set aside as a reserve for the Community without the approval of the of the Interior or his authorized representative.

    SEC. 6. Property of Members.-Property owned by a member of the Community shall not be taken to pay the debts of the corporation without his consent.

    SEC. 7. Records.-The corporation shall keep correct records of its business and activities and give copies of these records when asked to do so to the representative of the Office of Indian Affairs serving the Community.

    SEC. 8. Changes in the Charter.-Changes in the charter may be made by the Community and if approved by the Secretary of the Interior shall be in force when agreed to by a majority vote of those members voting in an election called by the Secretary of the Interior: Provided, That at least 30 per cent of the voting membership votes. The charter itself shall continue in force for all time, unless taken away by Act of Congress.

    SEC. 9. Adoption of Charter.-This charter shall be in force when it is agreed to by a majority vote of those members voting in an election called by the Secretary of the Interior: Provided, That at least 30 per cent of the voting membership votes and provided that the Community has agreed to a constitution and by-laws approved by the Secretary of the Interior.

    This Charter is hereby approved and submitted to the group of Eskimos having a common bond of residence in the Town of Nome, Alaska, to be voted on in an election called and held under the Instructions of the Secretary of the Interior. The Charter shall be deemed issued where a petition for a Charter, signed by one-third of the adult Eskimos, has been received by an authorized representative of the Department of the Interior.

                                                                                                                                                 OSCAR L. CHAPMAN,

Assistant Secretary of the Interior.
                                                                                                                                                               [SEAL]
 
    WASHINGTON, D. C., September 9, 1939.

CERTIFICATION

    Pursuant to an order, approved September 9, 1939 by the Assistant Secretary of the Interior, the attached charter was submitted for ratification to the group of Eskimos having a common bond of residence in the Town of Nome, Territory of Alaska, and was on November 23, 1939 duly ratified by a vote of 75 for and 1 against in an election in which over 30 per cent of those entitled to vote cast their ballots, in accordance with the Alaska Act of May 1, 1936 (49 Stat. 1250), and section 17 of the Act of June 18, 1934 (48 Stat. 984), as amended by the Act of June 15, 1935 (49 Stat. 378).

                                                                                                                                                         MOODY ETAGEAK,

Chairman, Election Board.

    H. W. STARLING,
            Government Representative.