Local & Community
Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians Unveils 'Section 14' Exhibit Honoring Tribal History and Resilience
In a landmark moment of cultural preservation and historical truth-telling, the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians today unveiled its Section 14: The Untold Story exhibit at the tribe's cultural museum in downtown Palm Springs.
The emotionally resonant exhibit tells the long-overlooked story of Section 14, a one-square-mile area in Palm Springs that served as the heart of the Agua Caliente reservation. During the 1950s and 60s, this land became the site of forced evictions and demolitions of homes inhabited primarily by Native Americans and other people of color, under the guise of urban renewal and development. The exhibit features firsthand accounts, historical documents, and photographs that aim to set the record straight about this painful chapter in local and tribal history.
“We are here today at the Section 14 Untold Story Exhibit—an exhibit that shares some very important pieces, some very important time periods that our tribe was dealing with so long ago,” said Chairman Reid Milanovich. “What is showcased here is history. Actual, true history. Facts of what life was like back then.”
Milanovich, a direct descendant of tribal members who lived through this era, spoke about the pride he feels in honoring their legacy. “I feel a lot of pride to be a descendant of a generation of tribal members that worked and fought so hard for what we have today.”
The exhibit not only recounts the injustices suffered by the Agua Caliente people during the Section 14 demolitions but also underscores their resilience and resistance—a legacy that still defines the tribe today. “People will learn that the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians are fighters,” Milanovich added. “We don’t sit back and let people take things from us. We set a vision, we set goals, and we always will fight for what we have.”
Located in a temporary exhibition space, the museum plans to introduce new exhibits annually, each exploring different facets of tribal culture, land rights, and history.
“I hope that when visitors walk through the Section 14 exhibit, they are able to learn something new—something that has been untold for decades,” Milanovich said. “These are very serious accounts, very concerning experiences by tribal membership at that time. It’s important because it’s who we are.”
The unveiling marks a significant step in restoring the narrative of the Agua Caliente Band of Cahuilla Indians and providing the broader public with a more complete and honest view of Southern California’s history.
The exhibit is now open to the public at the Agua Caliente Cultural Museum in Palm Springs.
By: NBC Palm Springs
June 13, 2025
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