Native American Studies Commons^™

Attorney Contracts With Indian Tribes, United States Congress, Us Senate

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This report, dated January 16, 1953, from the United States (US) Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs provides the findings from an investigation of attorney contracts and other contracts with Indigenous nations in the US. One section of the report addresses the actions of James E. Curry who had dealings with the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation when they were seeking representation over the construction of the Garrison Dam.

Anthropological Papers, No 45: Archeological Materials From The Vicinity Of Mobridge, South Dakota, Smithsonian Institution, Bureau Of American Ethnology, Waldo R. Wedel

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

Published as a bundle of anthropological works sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology, paper number 45 is a description of findings from an excavation of four burial sites which are presumed to be associated with village sites from Grand River and Elk Creek (located north of Morbridge, South Dakota). Excavation was completed by Matthew W. Sterling in 1923, described here by Waldo R. Wedel. These sites are documented as Arikara territory. The paper begins with an overview of Arikara history from 1717 forward as documented by European explorers, followed by a description of the graves excavated and …

River Basin Surveys Papers, No. 1: Prehistory And The Missouri Valley Development Program Summary Report On The Missouri River Basin Archeological Survey In 1948, Waldo R. Wedel, Smithsonian Insitition, Bureau Of American Ethnology

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

Published as a series sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology, the “River Basin Surveys Papers” are a collection of archeological investigations focused on areas now flooded by the completion of various dam projects in the United States. The River Basin Surveys Papers (numbered 1-39) were mostly published in bundles with 5-6 papers in each bundle. In collaboration with the United States (US) National Park Service and the US Bureau of Reclamation, the US Department of the Interior, and the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Smithsonian Institution pulled archeological and paleontological remains from several sites prior to …

River Basin Surveys Papers, No. 2: Prehistory And The Missouri Valley Development Program Summary Report On The Missouri River Basin Archeological Survey In 1949, Waldo R. Wedel, Smithsonian Institution, Bureau Of American Ethnology

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

Published as a series sponsored by the Smithsonian Institution Bureau of American Ethnology, the “River Basin Surveys Papers” are a collection of archeological investigations focused on areas now flooded by the completion of various dam projects in the United States. The River Basin Surveys Papers (numbered 1-39) were mostly published in bundles with 5-6 papers in each bundle. In collaboration with the United States (US) National Park Service and the US Bureau of Reclamation, the US Department of the Interior, and the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Smithsonian Institution pulled archeological and paleontological remains from several sites prior to …

Sitting Bull’S Grave-Until Raiders Struck, Circa 1953, Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This article, published in circa 1953, subtitled "S.D. Governor Condones Theft of Sitting Bull," reports on the reaction of South Dakota Governor Sigurd Anderson regarding the removal of the ancestral remains of Sitting Bull (Tatanka Iyotanka), a Hunkpapa Lakota leader, from their previous resting place in Fort Yates, ND to a new location in Mobridge, SD. Anderson said that he is not in favor of the law breakers, but he can understand their sentiment.

Sitting Bull’S Bones Encased In Steel, Circa 1953., Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This article, published circa 1953, discusses the the final resting place of the ancestral remains of Sitting Bull (Tatanka Iyotanka), a Hunkpapa Lakota leader, who was removed from a burial site in Fort Yates, ND to Mobridge, SD. The article notes that the removal was incomplete and that individuals were able to get “4$ apiece in Bismarck” for the bones of Sitting Bull. The article also quotes of head of the removal party, which included self-proclaimed heirs of Sitting Bull who said, “I was tired of the white man’s red tape and delays.”

Letter From U.S. Representative Usher L. Burdick To Jerome Has Tricks Regarding The Timing Of Leo Running Bear's Discharge, September 02, 1952., Usher Burdick

Usher Burdick Papers

This letter, dated September 02, 1952, from Usher L. Burdick to Jerome Has Tricks, lets Has Tricks know how soon Running Bear can be discharged from the service.

An Act Making Appropriations For Civil Functions Administered By The Department Of The Army For The Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1953, And For Other Purposes, United States Congress

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This act, dated July 11, 1952, also known as United States (US) Public Law 82-504, makes appropriations for, among other things, paying lawful occupants of properties within the towns of Elbowoods, Sanish and Van Hook, North Dakota, for their improvements, which will be rendered useless by the construction of the Garrison Dam and Reservoir project on the Missouri River.

It Costs Too Much To Liquidate Bureaus, February 15, 1952., Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This editorial, published in the Fargo (N.D.) Morning Forum on February 15, 1952, critiques the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) and its proposed plan for “self-liquidation.” While the Bureau presented a plan to wind down its operations, the House Appropriations Committee discovered that the process would require 90% more funding in the upcoming year than ever before and extend for at least another 15 years.

Congressional Record (Senate), February 7, 1952 Vol. 98, Part 1--Bound Edition, United States Congress, Us Senate

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This excerpt from the United States (US) Senate Congressional Record dated Thursday, February 7, 1952 (legislative day of Thursday, January 10, 1952) contains a resolution adopted by the Fort Berthold Inter-Agency Committee on December 7, 1951. The resolution outlines a plan for obtaining medical care for residents of the Fort Berthold Reservation as the Indian Service hospital in Elbowoods, North Dakota closed August 1951. The Fort Berthold Inter-Agency endorses the outlined plan. The resolution is prefaced by a note from Three Affiliated Tribes Tribal Council Chairman Martin Cross. The note from Cross and copy of the resolution were submitted into …

Bill Now In Congress To ‘Shoot Indians’, February 2, 1952, Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This newspaper clipping, published in the Sioux County Pioneer-Arrow on February 2, 1952, discusses the controversy surrounding Senate Bill 2543, a proposed piece of federal legislation that would expand the authority of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its law enforcement officers. The article provides the text of the bill and warns that its broad language could allow federal authorities to enter Native American homes, confiscate property, and make arrests without due process, essentially placing tribal members under martial-law-like conditions.

Test Case Planned On Indian Rights, February 1, 1952, Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This newspaper article, published in the Aberdeen (S.D.) American News on February 1, 1952, reports that Representative Usher L. Burdick (R-ND) announced a legal test case to determine whether displaced Native Americans retain oil rights to land inundated by the Garrison Dam reservoir in North Dakota. The article notes that Congress approved “$12,500,000” in compensation to the tribes for land taken for the reservoir and highlights ongoing disagreements over mineral rights and revenue distribution among tribal members and federal authorities.

The Budget Of The United States Government For The Fiscal Year Ending June 30, 1953, United States Congress, Us House Of Representatives, Harry S. Truman

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This excerpt from the US Government yearly budget, dated January 1, 1952, indicates a payment to the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold Reservation in the amount of 7.5 million dollars. This payment is noted in the section “Bureau of Indian Affairs” under the subsection “Miscellaneous Expired Accounts, Bureau of Indian Affairs” and is labeled an “expenditure out of prior authorization.”

Changin The Name Of The Reservoir To Be Formed Bygarrison Dam, N. Dak., Known As Garrison Reservoir, To Lake Thompson, United States Congress, Us Senate

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This report, dated August 2, 1951, also known as United States Senate Report 608, was written by the US Senate Committee on Public Works to accompany US Senate Joint Resolution 13. In the report, the Committee recommends passage of the bill with no amendments.

Where We Fall Down, June 15, 1951., Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This editorial, published in the Hibbing (Minn.) Daily Tribune on June 15, 1951, criticizes the U.S. government and the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) for failing to develop an effective and constructive Indian policy. The editorial argues that the bureau has been “worse than useless,” calling for genuine reform in Indian affairs management

Indians Under Dictatorship, N.D. Mother Of 3 Gis Says, April 28, 1951 (Minot Daily)., Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This newspaper article, published in the Minot Daily on April 28, 1951, reports the statements of Mrs. Josephine Kelly of Fort Yates, North Dakota, a mother of three sons serving in the armed forces and called "a chieftain of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe" by the reporter. Kelly protested "the old military-style governance and line system" that Indian Commissioner Dillon S. Myer was attempting to "install." The article also details a dispute involving "the Standing Rock Sioux and 13 associated tribes of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana," who sought to hire attorney James E. Curry to negotiate federal compensation …

Indians Under Dictatorship, N.D. Mother Of 3 Gls Says, April 28, 1951 (Minneapolis Star)., Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This newspaper article, published in the Minneapolis Star on April 28, 1951, reports the statements of Mrs. Josephine Kelly of Fort Yates, North Dakota, a mother of three sons serving in the armed forces and called "a chieftain of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe" by the reporter. Kelly protested "the old military-style governance and line system" that Indian Commissioner Dillon S. Myer was attempting to "install." The article also details a dispute involving "the Standing Rock Sioux and 13 associated tribes of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana," who sought to hire attorney James E. Curry to negotiate federal compensation …

Chieftain Says Indians Under Dictatorship, April 28, 1951., Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This newspaper article, published in Watertown on April 28, 1951, reports the statements of Mrs. Josephine Kelly of Fort Yates, North Dakota, a mother of three sons serving in the armed forces and called "a chieftain of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe" by the reporter. Kelly protested "the old military-style governance and line system" that Indian Commissioner Dillon S. Myer was attempting to "install." The article also details a dispute involving "the Standing Rock Sioux and 13 associated tribes of North Dakota, South Dakota, and Montana," who sought to hire attorney James E. Curry to negotiate federal compensation for lands …

Settlement Of Indian Estates Tedious Job, March 22, 1951., Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This newspaper article, published on March 22, 1951, circulated by the “Western Press Clipping Exchange” in Minneapolis, explains the complex legal and administrative challenges of settling Native American estates in North Dakota. The article highlights how ownership became so divided that individuals now inherit fractions as small as 4/2,835 of a property, and the complications that arise when heirs die before estates are settled, making probate a tedious and highly mathematical task.

Indian Independence And Advocates Ending Segregation Of Tribal Life, March 3, 1951., Unknown

Usher Burdick Papers

This newspaper article, published on March 1, 1951, by the Selfridge (N.D.) Journal and circulated by the “Western Press Clipping Exchange” in Minneapolis, reports on the work of the North Dakota Indian Affairs Commission. Established by the 1949 state legislature, the commission conducted a two-year study to gather data, which concluded that assimilation of Native people into broader American society, socially, culturally, and economically, should be the ultimate goal, and it emphasized that the Indians “want their children to be actual, not just legal Americans.”

A Bill To Provide For Certain Per Capita Payments To Members Of The Three Affiliated Tribes Of The Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota, United States Congress, Us House Of Representatives, Usher L. Burdick

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This bill, dated May 8, 1950, proposes to authorize and direct the United States (US) Secretary of the Interior to disburse remaining funds associated with sections 2 and 12 of US Public Law 81-437, also known as the Takings Act, once the purposes of those sections have been accomplished

The bill directs those remaining funds to be disbursed in equal per capita payments to members of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation who are living at the time of such determination by the Secretary.

See also:

An Act to Vest Titles to Certain Lands of the Three …

An Act To Vest Title To Certain Lands Of The Three Affiliated Tribes Of The Fort Berthold Reservation, North Dakota, In The United States, And To Provide Compensation Therefor, United States Congress

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This United States (US) Public Law, dated October 29, 1949, also known as US Public Law 81-437, and commonly referred to as "The Taking Act," identifies the lands of the Three Affiliated Tribes of the Fort Berthold Reservation that are to be vested in the US, and the procedures and mechanisms by which the Tribes are to be compensated for these lands, along with the costs for relocating residents, cemeteries, monuments and shrines.

Also detailed in this US Public Law are mechanisms for appraising the lands and for adjudication in the event that an appraisal is rejected by a tribal …

Compensation To Fort Berthold Indians, North Dakota, For Lands Taken In Connection With The Garrison Dam Project, United States Congress

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This report, dated October 19 1949, also known as United States (US) House of Representatives Report 1458, was submitted by the Committee of Conference to accompany US House of Representatives Joint Resolution 33, and details the recommendations Committee of Conference members have agreed to make to their respective Houses of the US Congress regarding their disagreeing votes on the US Senate's amendments to Joint Resolution 33.

Vesting Title To Certain Lands Of The Three Affiliated Tribes Of The Fort Berthold Reservation, N. Dak., In The United States, And Providing Compensation Therefor, United States Congress, Us Senate

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This report, dated July 1, 1949, also known as United States Senate Report 605, was submitted by the US Senate Committee on Interior and Insular Affairs to accompany US House Joint Resolution 33 "providing for compensating the Three Affiliated Tribes of Indians of the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation, N. Dak., for lands taken and damages caused by the United States by reason of the construction and development of the Garrison Dam and Reservoir project." In this report, the Committee recommends that US House Joint Resolution 33 be passed with amendments that are included in the report.

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US House …

Providing For The Ratification By Congress Of A Contract For The Purchase Of Certain Indian Lands By The United States From The Three Affiliated Tribes Of Fort Berthold Reservation, N. Dak., United States Congress, Us House Of Representatives

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This report, dated May 9, 1949, also know as United States House of Representatives Report 544, was written by the Committee on Public Lands to accompany US House Joint Resolution 33 "providing for the ratification by Congress of a contract for the purchase of certain Indian lands by the United States from the Three Affiliated Tribes of Fort Berthold Reservation,N. Dak., and for other related purposes." In this report, the Committe recommends passage with a number of amendments detailed in the report.

See also:

US House Joint Resolution 33

US House Report 605

Public Law 437

Hearings Before The Subcommittee On Indian Affairs Of The Committee On Public Lands House Of Representatives Eighty-First Congress First Session On H.J. Res. 33 Providing For The Ratification By Congress Of The Contract To Purchase Indian Lands By The United States From The Three Affiliated Tribes Of Fort Berthold, North Dakota, United States Congress, Us House Of Representatives

US Government Documents Related to Indigenous Nations

This publication, dated April 29 and 30, May 2 and 3, 1949, printed for the use of the United States (US) House of Representatives Committee on Public Lands, contains the full text of US House of Representatives Joint Resolution 33, followed by a transcript of the hearings held on April 29 and 30, and May 2 and 3, 1949 before the US House Committee on Public Lands.

US House Joint Resolution 33, sponsored by North Dakota Senator William Lemke, was an attempt to add $9.5 million to the original $5,105,625 provided in United States Public Law 296 as compensation for …

Letter From Us Representative Usher L. Burdick To Hal Simon Regarding Relocation Costs, April 29, 1949, Usher Burdick

Usher Burdick Papers

This letter, dated April 29, 1949, from United States (US) Representative Usher Burdick to Hal Simon of Elbowoods, North Dakota, concerns relocation costs for people living in Elbowoods. Burdick writes that, in his opinion, the US Army Core of Engineers is not being reasonable with people in the area and that these people deserve compensation for their relocation costs. He goes on to write that he will do what he can, but suggests that US Representative William Lemke is in a better position to help due to his position the US House of Representatives Committee Public Lands.

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Letter …

Letter From U.S. Representative Usher L. Burdick To Audrey Twilling Regarding Relocation Costs, April 29, 1949, Usher Burdick

Usher Burdick Papers

This letter, dated April 29, 1949, from United States (US) Representative Usher Burdick to Audrey Twilling of Elbowoods, North Dakota, concerns relocation costs for people living in Elbowoods. Burdick writes that, in his opinion, the US Army Core of Engineers is not being reasonable with people in the area and that these people deserve compensation for their relocation costs. He goes on to write that he will do what he can, but suggests that US Representative William Lemke is in a better position to help due to his position the US House of Representatives Committee Public Lands.

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Letter …

Letter From U.S. Representative Burdick To Mary Long Chase Regarding Mary Many Wounds, February 25, 1949, Usher Burdick

Usher Burdick Papers

This letter, dated February 25, 1949, from United States (US) Representative Usher Burdick to Mary Long Chase concerns Mary Many Wounds. The letter thanks Long Chase for her recent letter commenting on a speech Burdick has made. Burdick writes that he is enclosing a file related to Mary Many Wounds, who has recently died. This file is not included with this document. A handwritten note at the top of the document reads "Indians."

Letter From U.S. Representative Burdick To Sybelle Wright Regarding Native American Living Conditions, February 11, 1949, Usher Burdick

Usher Burdick Papers

This letter, dated February 11, 1949, from United States (US) Representative Usher Burdick to Sybelle H. Wright of St. John, North Dakota concerns the relationship between the US and Indigenous peoples. The letter is in response to Wright's letter which is not included. Burdick's letter asks Wright who is to blame for the poor living conditions of Native Americans. He responds by stating that the US government took charge of these people 80 years prior and failed in its responsibility to educate them through "forced wardship." The letter also discusses the poor quality and low amount of land owned by …