Rhonda Sewell11/13/13

Notes/Outline-BIA

Bureau Of Indian Affairs

Parent Agency-U.S. Department of the Interior

Website:
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) www. BIA.gov (http://www.bia.gov/)
-Regional Offices MS-4606-MIB 1849 C Street, NW Washington, DC 20240

Phone: (202) 208-5116

Mission-To enhance the quality of life , to promote economic opportunity, and to carry out the responsibility to protect and improve the trust assets of American Indians, Indian Tribes, and Alaska Natives.

*Inception March 11, 1824
-similar agencies have existed in the government since 1775
-witness to and principal player in the relationship between the federal government and Indian tribes/Alaska natives
-policies to assimilate, to police, and to promote self-determination

1806, U.S. Congress established Commissioner of Indian Trade, was charged with maintaining the factory trading network of the fur trade. Government licensed traders to have some control in Indian territories and gain shares.

*Abolition of Factory System left a vacuum within U.S. Government and Native American relations.

1849-Indian Affairs was transferred to the U.S. Department of the Interior

19th to early 20th century decision to educate native children in boarding schools, emphasizing on assimilation that prohibited them from using their indigenous languages, practices , and cultures.

Acts of Congress

Allotment Act of 1887
Opened tribal laws W of the Mississippi to non- indian settlers,

(continued)

Indian Citizen Act of 1924-granted American Indians, and Alaskan Natives citizenship and the right to vote.

New Deal/Reorganization Act of 1934-Established modern tribal governments.

*WWII relocation and Post War termination era of 1950's led to the activism of the 60's & 70's and saw the takeover of BIA's headquaarters which resulted in creation of The Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975.

With increasing demands for enforcement of treaty rights and sovereignty, the 70's were a very turbulent time period for BIA history. The occupation of BIA headquarters with approximately 500 American Indians, including AIM (American Indian Movement). Culmination of their Trail of Broken Treaties walk, their intention was to bring to light the American Indian issues. Interests included were renewed negotiations of treaties, enforcement of treaty rights and improvement in living standards. The occupation lasted six days. Protesters vandalized the building causing $700,000 in damages. Records , treaties, deeds, and water rights records were lost, destroyed or stolen. This was not beneficial for either side of the argument.

Wounded Knee Incident of 1973-activists, including Leonard Peltier occupied the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation land for more than two months. FBI along with military were called in. There was a shootout in which two FBI agents and one indian were killed. Leonard Peltier was convicted of killing the agents. Current Events

Cobell v. Salazar, a major class action case related to trust lands, was settled in December 2009. Filed against the U.S. Department of Interior, regarding the federal government's management and accounting of more than 300,000 individual American Indian and Alaska Native trust accounts. The settlement establishes $2billion fund enabling federally recognized tribes to voluntarily buy-back and consolidate fractionated land interests. The Bureau is currently trying to evolve from a supervisory to an advisory role. This has been difficult considering conflicts in accordance with treaties signed by both.