Bureau of Indian Affairs - (Landmarks of the American Mosaic) by Donald L Fixico (Paperback)

About the Book

"In 1824, with no Congressional authorization, War Secretary John C. Calhoun established the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). In the 185 years since--the last 40 years with Native Americans at its head--the BIA has endured as witness to and shape of U.S.-Indian relations, often caught between enforcing government policy and serving the Native American population. Bureau of Indian Affairs tells the fascinating and important story of an agency that currently oversees U.S. policies affecting more than 300 federally reserved lands, nearly 600 recognized tribes, and more than 5 million Native American residents. Written by one of our foremost Native American scholars, this insider's view of the BIA looks at the policies and the personalities that shaped its history, and by extension, nearly two centuries of government-tribal relations. Coverage includes the agency's forerunners and founding, the years of relocation and outright war, the movement to encourage Indian urbanization and assimilation, and the civil rights era surge of Indian activism. A concluding chapter looks at the modern BIA and its role in everything from land allotments and Indian boarding schools to tribal self-government, mineral rights, and the rise of the Indian gaming industry."--Back cover.

Book Synopsis

From 19th-century trade agreements and treatments to 21st-century reparations, this volume tells the story of the federal agency that shapes and enforces U.S. policy toward Native Americans.

Bureau of Indian Affairs tells the fascinating and important story of an agency that currently oversees U.S. policies affecting over 584 recognized tribes, over 326 federally reserved lands, and over 5 million Native American residents.

Written by one of our foremost Native American scholars, this insider's view of the Bureau of Indian Affairs looks at the policies and the personalities that shaped its history, and by extension, nearly two centuries of government-tribal relations. Coverage includes the agency's forerunners and founding, the years of relocation and outright war, the movement to encourage Indian urbanization and assimilation, and the civil rights era surge of Indian activism. A concluding chapter looks at the modern BIA and its role in everything from land allotments and Indian boarding schools to tribal self-government, mineral rights, and the rise of the Indian gaming industry.

About the Author

Donald L. Fixico is distinguished foundation professor of history and affiliate faculty in American Indian Studies at Arizona State University, Tempe.