Indian Reorganization Act

E57391

The Indian Reorganization Act was a 1934 U.S. federal law that ended the allotment of Native American lands, promoted tribal self-government, and aimed to restore and protect tribal land bases and cultures.


Statements (48)
Predicate Object
instanceOf New Deal legislation
United States federal law
administeredBy Bureau of Indian Affairs
aimedTo end allotment of Native American lands
improve economic conditions of Native American tribes
promote tribal self-government
protect Native American cultures
restore tribal land bases
allowed tribes to adopt written constitutions
tribes to form business councils
tribes to organize self-government
alsoKnownAs Wheeler–Howard Act
appliesTo federally recognized Native American tribes
country United States
criticizedBy some Native American leaders for federal control
dateEnacted 1934-06-18
draftedBy John Collier
excludes certain tribes that voted to reject the Act
historicalEra Great Depression
influenced later self-determination policies of the United States toward tribes
jurisdiction United States federal government
longTitleIncludes An Act to conserve and develop Indian lands and resources
to establish a credit system for Indians
to extend to Indians the right to form business and other organizations
to grant certain rights of home rule to Indians
partOf Indian New Deal
policyShiftFrom assimilation
policyShiftTo tribal self-determination
providedFor creation of tribal corporations
federal acquisition of land in trust for tribes
loans for tribal economic development
restoration of surplus lands to tribal ownership
relatedTo Dawes Act
Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act
repealedPolicy allotment under the Dawes Act
section Section 16
Section 17
section16Provides organization of tribal governments under constitutions
section17Provides chartering of tribal corporations
signedBy Franklin D. Roosevelt
sponsorInHouse Edgar Howard
sponsorInSenate Burton K. Wheeler
subjectMatter Native American land tenure
federal Indian policy
tribal sovereignty
supportedBy many reformers and tribal leaders
terminated general allotment of tribal lands
yearEnacted 1934

Referenced by (2)

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