Chronology of American Indian History

P

Bender had a successful second career managing

and coaching in the minors.

The Indian Claims Commission makes its first

lands claim settlement.

The Otoe-Missouria of Oklahoma becomes the first

Indian tribe granted title to their lands by right of

occupancy by the Indian Claims Commission (ICC)

(see entry for AUGUST 12, 1946). The ICC awards the

Otoe-Missouria $1.5 million dollars, which the tribe

elects to distribute per capita to tribal members.

The prohibitions on the sale of alcohol to

Indians are removed.

As part of the federal government’s efforts during

the 1950s to end its supervision over Indian tribes,

Congress repeals all laws prohibiting Indians from

purchasing alcohol. Some reservations, however, will

institute their own bans on liquor sales and con-

sumption to keep alcohol out of their communities.

August 1

House Concurrent Resolution 108 formally

implements the Termination policy.

As a response against the pluralistic Indian policies

of the New Deal era, many conservative legislators

have long advocated that the federal government

get out of the “Indian business.” Their ideas for re-

form, collectively known as the Termination policy,

are codified in House Concurrent Resolution 108.

The resolution calls for Congress to draft 60

Termination bills over the next nine years. The

goal of these bills is to terminate the tribal status

of Indian groups that Congress deems capable and

affluent enough to survive without the special pro-

tection given wards of the U.S. government. As a

prelude to Termination, a roll of tribal members is

to be taken. Tribal assets will then be liquidated,

and the proceeds will be distributed to individual

tribal members.

Although presented as a means to “emancipate”

Indians from the control of the federal government,

the Termination policy is largely intended to save

funds due to Indian groups, often guaranteed by

treaty. Termination is also supported by private

companies that want access to natural resources on

Indian-held lands, and by state and local govern-

ments that will be able to tax Indians living within

their borders after the tribes have been terminated.

(See also entry for APRIL 28, 1988.)

“With the aim of ‘equality be-

fore the law’ in mind our course

should rightly be no other....

Following the footsteps of the

Emancipation Proclamation of

ninety-four years ago, I see the

following words emblazoned in

letters of fire above the heads of

the Indians—THESE PEOPLE SHALL

BE FREE!”

—Utah senator Arthur V. Watkins

in 1957 on his support for the

Termination policy

August 15

Congress passes Public Law 280.

In keeping with the goals of the Termination policy,

Public Law 280 places most of the reservations in

California, Minnesota, Nebraska, Oregon, and Wis-

consin under the jurisdiction of these states’ civil

and criminal legal systems. Previously, the Federal

Bureau of Investigation was in charge of investigat-

ing major crimes, while the Bureau of Indian Affairs

and tribal police forces were responsible for dealing

with all lesser offenses. The law also allows for other

states to extend their jurisdictions over Indians living

within their borders, without the Indians’ consent.

Opposite page: A poster produced by the Bureau of
Indian Affairs to encourage Indians to move to Denver,
Colorado, as part of its relocation program (National
Archives, Neg. no. RG75N-Reloc-G)