#American Indian history

[todaysdocument]

Ma-ah-go-quah, wife of John Big Fout (or Big Foot), of the Potawatomi Tribe, on July 16, 1923.

Record Group 75: Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs

Series: Photographs

Image description: An elderly woman seated in a chair in front of an exterior wall. She is wearing a blouse with a long ruffle around the neck, a floral skirt, and a wide fabric headband. She has a blanket partially pulled over her lap. Her hands are clasped in her lap. 

[faramirsonofgondor]

American Indian Discrimination and Issues

If you want the links to important causes just skip towards the end, but I implore you to read through what I’ve written as it’s important as well!

I think it’s a major disservice that barely anyone talks about the fact that the Federal Government doesn’t recognize members of tribes whose land was taken from them. Obviously most of the US is stolen land but in the mid 1900s the Federal government terminated Indian land rights to “assimilate” Indian people, and without an official land base it’s harder to congregate and act as a sovereign nation, therefore they aren’t eligible for federal recognition. Furthermore, in 1900 the Bureau of Indian Affairs didn’t do a complete consensus of the US and missed places where Indians lived, meaning members of indigenous communities were missed and not represented on the census data. One of the criterion to becoming a federally recognized tribe is the demonstration “that it has been identified as an American Indian entity on a substantially continuous basis since 1900.” (R. Lee Fleming, Director of the Office of Federal Acknowledgement).

Some of you may also be wondering why federal acknowledgement is so important. For starters, American Indians are the poorest ethnic group in the US. Federally recognized tribes are permitted to open up casinos in places that do not permit gambling because these tribes have the status of being a sovereign nation. While these casinos are able to provide for many Indian families and make improvements to reservations, this income isn’t extended to those with tribal ancestry who aren’t apart of those Federally recognized tribes. You also can’t get financial assistance from the Bureau of Indian Affairs if you’re not from a Federally recognized tribe. This means that any federal programs, health insurances, grants, reparations, etc. are not provided.

There is also a large chunk of American Indian history that is erased from the knowledge of the general public - such as the fact that they weren’t granted US citizenship until 1924, 56 years after African Americans were granted it, or the fact they were also subjected to Jim Crow laws and racial segregation in the South, or the Red Power movement as a whole.

I think it’s important to understand the struggles American Indians have faced and still face to this day - having the highest likelihood than any other race of being killed in a police encounter (3x the rate of White Americans, 2.6x the rate of Black Americans), having an incarceration rate 38% higher than the national average and receiving harsher sentences than White, Black, and Hispanic offenders, having the highest rate of violent crime victimizations compared to every other race with around 70% of those committing hate crimes not being of the same race as them, with 46% of the perpetrators being complete strangers to the victim, and 75% of sexual assaults against them being committed by strangers or acquaintances (according to the Bureau of Statistics )- whereas amongst the general population only 58.5% of sexual assaults are committed by strangers or acquaintances (RAINN).

They also have the lowest median household income out of all races in the US (data from 2022). Furthermore, the American Indian population is rarely mentioned in discussions about the racial wage gap despite the fact that they make nearly the same (only one cent more) earnings per dollar as Black Americans do (US Department of Labor) relative to White American earnings and having a lower share of income than every other race. Nor is it mentioned that American Indian women on average are paid less than Black Women (who are often more focused on by the media) when looking at the racial gender gap (National Partnership for Women and Families).

Another issue that is rarely addressed is the poor access and racism faced in terms of health care. The leasing causes of death for American Indians are heart disease (25% of deaths), cancer (22%), and accidents (19%). There are many diseases that affect American Indians at a higher rate than the general population as well. However, they also are more likely to not receive medical assistance because of the cost and much less likely to have visited a dentist as well, putting them more at risk for dental related illnesses. 33% of American Indians also do not have health insurance either. Furthermore, the Indian Health Service (the Federal Department dedicated to providing American Indians with Health Care services) has had its funding cut multiple times within the past two decades (with a $800,000,000 cut in 2013) making it harder to provide adequate health care for them.

I would also like to state that I’m not trying to diminish the discrimination, racism, and pain that other people of color undergo, nor am I trying to devalue or discredit their experiences. All people of color deserve justice and equality . I’m just trying to raise awareness to the fact that American Indians face a lot of discrimination at higher rates but are less focused on in the media. Overall, I just think that it’s important to draw more attention to the issues that they face and different ways to combat those issues.

Some American Indian Organizations and Causes to support are:

The Indigenous Media Freedom Alliance whose goal is to aid American Indians in being seen and heard in independent media. https://imfreedomalliance.org/

C.O.P.E. which aims to help Najavo people who live with chronic illnesses & improve the wellbeing of American Indians. https://www.copeprogram.org/aboutus

Land Back which fights for the return to indigenous lands in the US to their peoples. https://landback.org/

The American Indian Community House which aims to improve American Indian wellbeing and increase the visibility of American Indian cultures in urban settings. https://aich.org/about/

C.H.I.R.P. which originally served to research, preserve, and document the history & culture of the Nevada City Rancheria Nisenan Tribe. However, it now serves as a way to support their people after it was no longer recognized by the Federal government, leaving them without access to programs that support their health and well-being. https://chirpca.org/

Diné C.A.R.E. which defends Najavo communities against exploitative and destructive environmental practices and issues. https://www.dine-care.org/about-us

Hopi Relief Fund which aims to distribute the necessary supplies to aid community members in their recovery of the Covid-19 crisis. https://hopirelief.org/about-us

Indigenous Roots which uses art and activism to promote opportunities for Indigenous peoples, such as local classes, scholarships, artist grants, art installations, etc. https://indigenous-roots.org/

Intertribal Friend House whose mission is to expand resources for American Indians so that they can stay connected to their culture. https://www.ifhurbanrez.org/

The National Urban Family Coalition which advocates to bring awareness to the struggles that American Indians living in urban areas still face. https://www.nuifc.org/

R.J.I.P. which focuses on bringing justice to American Indian victims and addressing the disproportionate rates at which American Indians are victimized. https://www.indigenousjustice.org/

Sogorea Te’ Land Trust which focuses on returning Indigenous Land to indigenous people (similar to Land Back). https://sogoreate-landtrust.org/

N.A.D.L.C. which advocates for American Indians with disabilities. https://www.nativedisabilitylaw.org/

AISES https://www.aises.org/about/history

https://nativephilanthropy.candid.org/timeline/era/indian-self-determination-and-self-governance-era/#timeline-content

I also implore you to also check out these American Indian and Indigenous Businesses:

Cheek Bone Beauty https://www.cheekbonebeauty.com/

Sḵwálwen Botanicals https://skwalwen.com/

Prados Beauty https://pradosbeauty.com/

Ah-Shí Beauty https://www.ahshibeauty.com/

Satya Organic Skincare https://satyaorganics.com/

The Yukon Soaps Company https://yukonsoaps.com/

Blended Girl Cosmetics https://blendedgirl.com/

Sequoia Soaps https://sequoiasoaps.com/

Sister Sky (Haircare) https://sistersky.com/

Quw'utsun Made https://www.firstpickhandmade.com/personnel/quwutsun-made/

Ginew https://ginewusa.com/

B.yellowtail https://byellowtail.com/

Eighth Generation https://eighthgeneration.com/

Lauren Good Day https://laurengoodday.com/

Urban Native Era https://urbannativeera.com/

OXDX Clothing https://www.oxdxclothing.com/

Beyond Buckskin Boutique https://shop.beyondbuckskin.com/

Liandra Swim https://liandraswim.com/en-us

Lesley Hampton https://lesleyhampton.com/

Haus of Dizzy https://hausofdizzy.com/

[emma-dennehy-presents]

Just realized that the 50th anniversary of the Wounded Knee Occupation started like a week ago. (Feb 27 - May 8, 1973) For 71 days, 200 Oglala Sioux and AIM activists occupied the town of Wounded Knee, South Dakota, on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation in opposition to the corruption of tribal chairman Richard Wilson and centuries of failure by the US Government to honor treaties with native peoples. The town would be besieged by federal forces (US Marshals, FBI, SD National Guard) and GOON (a paramilitary force run by Richard Wilson). 5 people were killed, and 16 wounded during the siege. On May 5, an agreement was reached between leaders of the occupiers and the feds. By May 8, the town had been evacuated, and the US Government seized control. The occupation saw significant public support and helped bring light to issues facing indigenous peoples within the US. Issues they continue to face and fight to this day, 50 years later. (For example, there are around 4200 to 5700 unsolved cases involving murdered or missing indigenous women, as of 2021)

[jeannereames]

Useful background for allies who want to help debunk white, evangelical Christian objections to ICWA that claim reverse racism. It also explains why the foster system's definition of family doesn't meld well with indigenous views, and can be weaponized against native people in order to remove children.

[lionofchaeronea]

Photographic half-length portrait of a Native American (Dakota) man named Sun Flower, taken by a photographer for Heyn Photo in 1899. Now in the Prints and Photographs Division, Library of Congress.

[nando161mando]

Colonialism

[usnatarchives]

Navajo papoose on a cradleboard with a baby lamb, Window Rock, AZ, 1936. 🐑

Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (NARA ID 519160).

[glowingcritter]

[priestessofthepoeticprophesy]

[imaginarylands4000]

[todaysdocument]

Cliff Palace, the Ancestral Pueblo cliff dwellings at Mesa Verde, photographed on July 27, 1923. 

Record Group 95: Records of the Forest Service

Series: Photographs Relating to National Forests, Resource Management Practices, Personnel, and Cultural and Economic History

Image description: We can see a couple dozen of the sandstone-and-mortar rooms that make up the Cliff Palace site. The rooms mostly have sharp corners, but a few are round. They are built under an overhanging cliff. 

[faramirsonofgondor]

Reminder that June 2nd this year will mark the 100th anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act (also know as the Snyder Act) which granted American Indians and Alaskan Natives full citizenship in the United States!

[illustratus]

Custer's Last Stand by Newell Convers Wyeth

[uwmspeccoll]

Native Wisconsin

Native People of Wisconsin by Ojibwe scholar and journalist Patty Loew (b.1952), published in 2003 by the Wisconsin Historical Society Press in Madison, Wisconsin, is a book for young readers about the twelve Indian Nations that live in Wisconsin, including my tribe, the Stockbridge-Munsee Band of Mohicans. The book also includes the history of the First People in Wisconsin and the impact of European arrivals on Native culture.

Patty Loew, a Wisconsinite and member of the Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Ojibwe tribe, is a journalist, professor, author, community historian, broadcaster, documentary filmmaker, academic, and advocate. This children's book is a testament to her work, showcasing tribal narratives that encompass different methods through which Indigenous communities preserve their history. With a particular emphasis on oral tradition, this work is a valuable resource for educators and individuals interested in Native American history and will surely captivate young readers.

View other posts from our Native American Literature Collection.

View more from our Historical Curriculum Collection.

-Melissa (Stockbridge-Munsee), Special Collections Graduate Intern

[bfpnola]

the org said they were reposting last year’s graphics, hence the change is date at the top. still extremely relevant!