Native Americans since 1900

A Friend on the Federal level John Collier: 1930s: Took over the BIA and worked to reverse the damage done to Native American society and reservations. BIA began to support: 1. Indian religions 2. Native languages 3. Traditional customs ** Native American reservations were the hardest hit by poverty during the Depression.

Lack of political voice By the 1920s & 1930s the Federal Government continued to want to end the dependence of Indians on the Federal Government. Problem was tribes had no political or legal voice or power to move towards self sufficiency.

Indian Reorganization Act of 1934 Provisions: 1. Reverse the Dawes Act policies 2. Provide for Indian self-government 3. Allow Indians to create corporate business councils to regulate their own energy, ranching, and farming interests. 4. Restored tribal lands 5. Set up provisions for purchasing land for Indian communities.

Indian Reorganization Act of 1934

Indian Reorganization Act Fostered a new perspective on the “Indian Problem” Multiculturalism: Both Indian and American cultures contributed to each other. Many Americans supported this as a hope to make tribes self sufficient and would sever ties with the Federal government.

Indian Sovereignty Tribal Constitutions: IRA helped tribes form constitutions based upon the American constitution and established tribes governments and autonomous societies. Tribes used former treaties as basis for tribal rights.

Termination: 1953 Many Americans misunderstood the goals of tribal sovereignty under the IRA as an end to the reservation system and Federal government involvement in Indian affairs. Because of this a push to terminate both the federal trust relationship and the institution of the tribe itself began. Meeting with Government officials on Pine Ridge Reservation to discuss termination.

Termination 1953 Termination Policy (public Law 280) provisions: State agencies would take over both federal and services and jurisdiction of all tribes. Indians would no longer be recognized as Indians on any political level.

Termination 1953 This left tribes with no political voice since all political provisions had been set up through with the Federal government. Menominee tribe in Wisconsin was selected as the first tribe to be terminated. - Spiraled the tribe into poverty within a few short years. By 1958 the Federal Government no longer forced tribes to accept Termination.

Self-Determination Period Inspired by the civil rights movement, Native Americans sought equality & control of their own lives

Self-Determination In 1970 President Nixon ends Termination and puts in a policy of Self Determination Tribal control over: 1. Social Programs 2. Law enforcement 3. Education 4. All other services traditionally controlled by the Federal Government. Creates an awkward balance between Federal trust in the form of funding and tribal sovereignty in the form of self government, Self Determination has been the cornerstone of federal Indian policy ever since.

Modern Native American Resistance 1971 MI announced they would no longer allow spear fishing, breaking the treaties made with the Chippewa between 1836-1855. Albert LeBlanc, Chippewa tribe, was arrested for spear fishing. local fishermen cut Indian nets, slashed tires, destroyed boats, and fired shots at Indian fishers. Wanted posters offering bounties for NA fishers appeared all along the Great Lakes

Modern Native American Resistance American Indian Movement (AIM) Formed in 1968 in Minneapolis, MN Denise Banks (Chippewa Tribe) Focused on urban poverty, Civil Rights, Land acqusion, legal rights, and self determination.

American Indian Movement (AIM) Fought for autonomy, or self-government with respect to local matters: Use of natural resources Sought restoration of lands they believed had been taken illegally American Indian Movement marches in San Francisco October 1992, to commemorate 500 years of resistance.

American Indian Movement (AIM) AIM became instrumental in Native American treatment Famous protests include: Occupation of Alcatraz Trail of Broken Treaties Siege at Wounded Knee

Occupation of Alcatraz

Occupation of Alcatraz 1969 Multi-Tribal Treaty Rights Demonstration 78 protestors claimed the 13-acre former federal prison under the terms of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868: Treaty provision stated NA had rights to unused Federal land. Protestors attempted to establish an educational & cultural center Occupation lasted 1 ½ years Drew national attention to Native American grievances

Trail of Broken Treaties The “Trail of Broken Treaties” caravan: 1972 multi-tribal demonstration to force awareness of treaty rights with the hope to renew the treaty relationship. NA from across the country drove to Washington DC.

The Twenty Points The foundation of NA demands were written in a document called “The Twenty Points” More social programs Legally enforced equality or integration Return to the terms of treaties

The Twenty Points 1. Restoration of treaty making (ended by Congress in 1871). 2. Establishment of a treaty commission to make new treaties (with sovereign Native Nations). 3. Indian leaders to address Congress. 4. Review of treaty commitments and violations. 5. Unratified treaties to go before the Senate. 6. All Indians to be governed by treaty relations. 7. Relief for Native Nations for treaty rights violations. 8. Recognition of the right of Indians to interpret treaties. 9. Joint Congressional Committee to be formed on reconstruction of Indian relations. 10. Restoration of 110 million acres of land taken away from Native Nations by the United States. 11. Restoration of terminated rights. 12. Repeal of state jurisdiction on Native Nations. 13. Federal protection for offenses against Indians. 14. Abolishment of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 15. Creation of a new office of Federal Indian Relations. 16. New office to remedy breakdown in the constitutionally prescribed relationships between the United States and Native Nations. 17. Native Nations to be immune to commerce regulation, taxes, trade restrictions of states. 18. Indian religious freedom and cultural integrity protected. 19. Establishment of national Indian voting with local options; free national Indian organizations from governmental controls 20. Reclaim and affirm health, housing, employment, economic development, and education for all Indian people.

Trail of Broken Treaties What started out as a peaceful demonstration turned militant when the Federal Government tried to put down the march. NA in response took control of BIA building and renamed it the Native American Embassy in effort to show that NA were not given equal consideration in American government.

Question: Why did it occur Question: Why did it occur?!? Answer: AIM wanted to force the government to review broken treaties & end severe poverty on Indian reservations

Wounded Knee Confrontation: 1973 Lasted 71 days Means, Banks, and over 200 AIM members took over village Occurred at site of Wounded Knee Massacre Conflict over the 1868 Sioux treaty of the Black Hills Pine Ridge reservation around the village was one of the country’s poorest ½ living on welfare Russel Means and Dennis Banks

Lasted 3 months, government agreed to review treaty rights AIM refused to leave reservation until the governemtn agreed to investigate: The treatment of Indians The poor conditions on reservations Review 371 treaties they believed had been broken Lasted 3 months, government agreed to review treaty rights

Indian Law Over time NA have learned to use the American court system to fight for Treaty Rights. Many NA have gone on to become lawyers.

Indian Law NA have continued to fight for what was promised to them in Treaties and for equality within America. 1970s saw many legal victories for NA 1976 ruled NA could spear fish and that MI was in the wrong to arrest NA fishers NA can set their own regulations for hunting, hold legal ownership of limited water resources, and can exercise law enforcement over certain criminal activities on their reservations.

Indian Law 1980s saw major set backs in Indian success Reagan Administration cut almost all funds to support NA reservations Removed all government jobs on reservations Shift NA toward accepting private sector offers that wanted strip mining and toxic waste dumps put in Indian reservations Strip Mining on Navajo Reservation in Arizona

Effects of slashed Government assistance No protection for practice of traditional religion or religious lands Unemployment soared to 70 - 90% Desperation led to increase in crime, vandalism, domestic abuse, alcoholism, poor education, and health care. New government policies forced tribes to consider ending the balance of self determination and work toward sovereignty.

Typical Native American Housing on Indian Reservations

Native American Poverty

Move toward Sovereignty As tribes were forced to find other funding and to become more reliant on the private sector new policies reflecting tribal sovereignty were created: Taxation on reservation property, sales, and resources strengthening of local jurisdiction of highways and criminal prosecutions. Tribal license plates and automobile registration Indian hiring preference rules for reservation work the opening of gaming industries.

Move toward Sovereignty This change reflected a move from Indian tribes forming balanced relationships with the Federal Government to Indian based solutions to the problem of surviving in non-Indian society.

Indian Gaming Act of 1988 - Law that allows Indians to open casinos. Links the ability to open a casino to the decision of the State. Links the oversight and law enforcement to the responsibility of the State

Indian Gaming Act of 1988 Many tribes are using casinos as a way to generate funds for their tribes. Casinos offer: Employment Reduced welfare dependence Money for tribal needs Resources to expand education, culture, and fight effects of poverty