effect seven criteria an Indian group must meet to
be considered a tribe by the federal government. If
acknowledged as a tribe, an Indian group is eligible
for certain federal funds and benefits.
The new rules for acknowledgment require
that a tribe be “identified from historical times until
the present on a substantially continuous basis, as
‘American Indian,’ or ‘Aboriginal.’” A group must
also document that it is socially distinct from other
tribes and that it has been politically autonomous
throughout the course of history.
October 17
The Tribally Controlled Community College
Act is passed.
Responding to the lobbying of the American In-
dian Higher Education Consortium (see entry for
1972), Congress votes to increase federal funds to
Indian schools by passing the Tribally Controlled
Community College Act. The act helps finance the
operation of colleges run by tribal governments as
well as elementary and secondary public schools
with large numbers of Indian students.
November 1
Congress amends the Indian Education
Act.
Concerned that the Indian Education Act (see
entry for SPRING 1972) is not being properly
implemented, Congress appoints the Advisory
Study Group on Indian Education. This group
will find that Indian education could be improved
by increasing funding and parental involvement,
creating educational standards, and raising the
number of qualified teachers for Indian students.
Congress will respond to its recommendations by
passing several amendments to the original act
designed to increase Indian participation in educa-
tion. For example, the amendments tie the funds
available to an Indian school to the amount of
influence Indians have in decisions affecting the
institution.
November 8The Indian Child Welfare Act encourages
the adoption of Indian children by Indian
adults.
In the best interest of the child, the Indian Child
Welfare Act states that Indian children should be ad-
opted by Indian adults whenever possible—a policy
that reverses a long-held conviction of non-Indian
social service agencies that adopted Indian children
are better placed with white families. The act gives
preference first to a child’s extended family, next to
families with the same tribal affiliation as the child,
and finally to families of other tribes. It also moves
custody hearings regarding Indian children from
state to tribal courts and gives tribal governments
the authority to settle custody disputes.1979The Ohoyo Resource Center is founded.
Choctaw activist Owanah Anderson establishes the
Ohoyo Resource Center to improve educational and
employment opportunities for Native American
women. Founded with the support of the Depart-
ment of Education, the center sponsors conferences
and leadership training. Before closing in 1983, it
will also produce the Ohoyo One Thousand, a direc-
tory of more than 1,000 Indian women working in
professional fields, such as business, communica-
tions, education, and law.The Federal Acknowledgment Project is
founded.
The Department of the Interior creates the Federal
Acknowledgment Project to investigate and rule
on applications for tribal status. This new agency
(later renamed the Branch of Acknowledgment and
Research) is to base its decisions on documentation
submitted by groups in support of their conten-
tions that they meet the specific criteria for tribal
status established by the department (see entry for
OCTOBER 1, 1978). The Federal Acknowledgment
Project is also required to publish the “Federal