"Not too long ago, the United States’ explicit policy regarding Native Americans was termination. The goal was to marginalize and eradicate Native people and cultures. As a first step, the government stole Native land and resources, murdered Native families and herded the survivors onto bounded reservations offering little chance of survival. The next step was instituting a legal policy during the 1940s, 50s and 60s stripping Native nations of any remaining rights. True to form, this officially coined “Termination Era” witnessed the government terminating over 100 tribes through legislative mandate.

Although the 1960s ushered in a new approach by the United States, one that was trumpeted to respect the inherent sovereignty of the remaining Native nations and heal old wounds, this agreement of respect has shown itself to be hollow. It is as hollow as the thousands of unfulfilled agreements that preceded it. Termination of Native people is alive and well. It’s just taken a different form."

Get the Story:
David Kimelberg: Native Americans and the Economic Termination Era (Indian Country Today 1/13)