Indian Reorganization Act

The Indian Reorganization Act of June 18, 1934, also called the Wheeler–Howard Act, was important U.S. law for American Indians in the United States. It was part of what people called the "Indian New Deal".

The Act helped Indians manage their own land and mineral rights. It aimed to give tribes a strong economic base and control over their Indian reservations.

The law was the main idea of John Collier, who worked for President Franklin D. Roosevelt as head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs from 1933 to 1945. He wanted to stop policies that hurt Indian cultures and help tribes govern themselves, keep their land, and become economically strong. Felix S. Cohen also helped create the Act.

If a tribe did not vote against it, the self-government parts of the Act would start automatically.

History

The Indian Reorganization Act started with a law from 1887 that let Native American lands be split up and sold. By 1934, most of these lands were no longer owned by Native American tribes. This new law aimed to help tribes get back some of this lost land.

John Collier became the leader of the group that helped Native American tribes in 1933. He worked with the president to support these changes. The government had been struggling to manage land for many tribes, leading to many problems.

The law slowed down the practice of splitting up tribal lands. It let the government buy back some land and give it back to tribes. Over time, this helped tribes regain more than two million acres of land.

Later, some parts of the law were changed, which caused some tribes to lose their official status for a time. Many of these tribes got their status back later.

There were also debates about whether the law was fair, especially when tribes wanted to use land for things like casinos. Courts had to decide if the government could take land and give it to tribes. Some states disagreed, but courts generally supported the law.

When the law was passed, tribes had to vote on whether to accept it. In the end, 172 tribes accepted it, while 75 did not. Some large tribes, like the Navajo, were upset because they had lost many animals and felt pressured by the government.

Legacy

Historians have different opinions about the Indian New Deal. Some praise the energy and efforts of the person in charge, especially for helping protect religious practices, getting more money for reservations, and supporting self-government. However, others feel it did not help much with jobs or create strong political systems. These issues led to later policies that undid some of the progress.

The Indian Reorganization Act allowed tribes to govern themselves with some help from the government. It stopped the practice of dividing up tribal lands and aimed to support tribes and improve education. Many Native Americans feel their own traditional ways of governing would have been better for their culture.