In 1970, a group of activists led by Bernie Whitebear (1937-2000), Sin-Aikst, or Sinixt (now one of the Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation), began a protest which culminated in approval for the development of both a cultural center for Indigenous peoples and a municipal park on decommissioned surplus land at Seattle's Fort Lawton site. After several years spent raising awareness and funds, the United Indian People's Council (later United Indians of All Tribes Foundation, or UIATF) opened the Daybreak Star Cultural Center in 1977, directed by Mr. Whitebear until his death in 2000. As of 2021, the Daybreak Indian Cultural Center continues to serve as an "urban base for Native Americans in the Seattle Area," by providing cultural, educational, and social services to local Indigenous communities.

In this image Bernie Whitebear chats with William Joseph "Bill" Boyd (1922-2004), Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, his cousin and a truck driver, who brought a donation of logs to the site of the future Daybreak Star Cultural Center. Several local tribes donated materials for construction, an act which, along with the Indigenous motifs and inspiration found throughout the building, is considered representative of Indigenous tradition.

Caption information source: "Daybreak Star Indian Cultural Center opens its doors on May 13, 1977," by Antonia Kelleher, HistoryLink.org Essay 11237.
Caption information source: "William Joseph Boyd," The Star, January 14, 2004, page 4.
Caption information also derived from captions written by Post-Intelligencer staff and attached to the back of the photograph.