Dawes Act of 1887

Native American Rights and Sovereignty

• In 1972, a caravan of Native American activists and allies traveled to Washington, D.C. to protest federal Indian policy and demand tribal sovereignty, leading to negotiations with federal officials and the establishment of the American Indian Movement Survival School.

Indian Self-Determination and Education Assistance Act of 1975

• Signed into law on January 4, 1975, this legislation granted tribes greater control over their own affairs and resources, leading to the expansion of tribal control over education, healthcare, social services, law enforcement, and other areas.

Dakota Access Pipeline

• Proposed to transport 450,000 barrels per day of crude oil from North Dakota to Patoka, Illinois, the pipeline was met with resistance from the Standing Rock Sioux and 200 other Native American tribes and allies.

American Indian Movement (AIM)

• Founded in 1968 in Minneapolis, Minnesota, AIM is a civil rights organization advocating for Native American rights, sovereignty, and self-determination, with a focus on treaty rights, land rights, law enforcement accountability, and cultural preservation.

Occupation of Alcatraz

• From November 20, 1969, to June 11, 1971, Native American activists, including members of AIM, occupied Alcatraz Island, formerly a federal prison, to protest for Native American rights and sovereignty.

Trail of Broken Treaties

• In 1972, AIM and other Native American activists organized a march to Washington, D.C. to protest the violation of Native American rights and sovereignty.

Redlining

• A discriminatory practice in which banks and insurance companies refused or limited loans, mortgages, and insurance to residents in certain neighborhoods based on race or ethnicity, perpetuating racial segregation and inequality.

Stono Rebellion

• The largest slave rebellion in the British mainland colonies, which tackled the issue of slavery and racism.

Civil Rights Movement

• Led to the overturning of Jim Crow laws through legal challenges, grassroots activism, and federal legislation such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

Dawes Act

• Legislation passed on February 8, 1887, aimed at assimilating Native Americans by dividing tribal lands into individual allotments, leading to the loss of millions of acres of tribal land and the breakdown of traditional Native American communal land tenure system.

Boarding Schools

• Institutions aimed at assimilating Native American children into Euro-American culture, operated by the government and religious organizations from the late 19th to early 20th centuries, resulting in trauma and loss of cultural identity for Native American children.

Ida B. Wells

• Early civil rights activist, investigative journalist, and educator who fought against lynching and racial violence, advocating for anti-lynching legislation and playing a pivotal role in the anti-lynching movement and broader civil rights struggle.

Booker T. Washington

• African American educator and leader who advocated for vocational education and economic self-reliance for African Americans, founding the Tuskegee Institute and emphasizing practical skills and self-help.

W.E.B. Du Bois

• African American sociologist, historian, civil rights activist, and writer who fought for civil rights and racial equality in the United States, co-founding the NAACP and leading efforts to challenge segregation and advocate for civil rights.