Indian termination policy

As a termination phase of the Indian policy of the United States is called, which had the goal of eliminating the administration of Indian reservations by the federal government of the United States and an equal footing with members of the Indian peoples of all citizens of the United States. This would at the same time all the guarantees of the treaties of the United States account with the peoples according to which land in reserves has a special community status and can not be used or sold individually. The termination was developed by 1943 and implemented forcibly 1953-1958, more impact they unfolded until at least 1968.

Target

Already in 1943 put the United States Senate with the Senate Report 310 a plan to repeal the trust status of Indian land ownership and the connection of areas of federal law and the existing reserves to submit to the laws of the respective states.

With the inauguration of Dillon S. Myer as head of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA ) in 1950 changed the layout of the American Indian policy. The objectives of the Indian Reorganization Act and the plans of the extensive self-government of the tribes and the voice of tribal governments were postponed. Myer aimed at the resolution of all the tribes. A substantial part of his policy was to induce the Indians to resettle in cities. Overall, settled 1950-1967 61,600 Indians in urban areas, be it voluntarily or by pressure. In 1952, Myer a bill into the U.S. Congress, which the Federal government should give its responsibility over the Indians. Instead, the Indians should be responsible for themselves. The proposal was set in 1953 as a so -called House Concurrent Resolution 108 in force. Is interesting to note the detail that is nowhere in this Resolution, the concept of termination. Rather, he was bypassed with sentences like " to end the wardship status of the Indians and to grant them all of the rights and prerogatives pertaining to American citizenship ."

Follow

This law had far-reaching consequences. It was created a list of all strains were sufficiently advanced to be terminated immediately. Until 1962 120 mostly smaller tribes were, however, some larger ones like the Menominee in Wisconsin or the Klamath in Oregon, summarily disbanded. These concerns were about three percent of all Indians, most living on the west coast. The Indians lost their autonomous special status. They had to pay taxes, what they could not usually, and did not receive any government support more. The in the past contractually guaranteed regular compensation payments as consideration for the settlement of Indian land by the whites, ran out. So the Indians were soon dependent on social assistance. They lost control of their reserve and their country. Alone 1953-1957, ie during the first four years of Terminationspolitik the Indians lost 1.8 million acres ( 7300 km ²). By the end of Terminationspolitik it should be ;) More than 2.4 million acres ( 9700 km ².

By Myers resettlement programs subjected to 1972 a total of 78,000 Indians from the reservations to the cities, of which only 48,000 found a job. Around one third of the affected Indians returned in the same period back into the reserves.

The withdrawal of the Indian special status met the Indians completely unprepared. Very few found themselves suddenly cope in the white world. Already in the 1960s, had emergency measures be taken to curb the growing poverty of the Indians stop. Thousands of Indians had to be financially supported. Alone in 1971, the government was forced to use $ 626 million for medical care, education, social welfare, economic programs and construction of the Indians.

Policy change

1958 declared the Minister of the Interior Fred Andrew Seaton that no more tribes without their formal approval from the administration should be released by the federal government, but the policy of Termination still went on for several years and certain well into the 1960s, the Indian policy. Under the impact of the civil rights movement, the image of the Indians, after long negotiations and the breaking of conflicts with the American Indian Movement and the occupation of Alcatraz Island ( 1969-71 ) and the armed uprising at Wounded Knee (1973 ), the foundation was changed set for the Indian Self determination Act of 1975. It represents the relationship between the Indian nations and the federal government on a new basis, confirms the validity of the contracts concluded and guarantee the collective rights of peoples to self-government.