What is the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934?

The Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, or IRA, is a federal law that was designed to help Native American tribes reclaim their sovereignty and self-governance. It was passed by Congress as part of Franklin D. Roosevelt’s “New Deal” for Native Americans. The act reversed many of the policies of the Dawes Act, which allowed the federal government to break apart tribal land and disperse it to individual tribal members. Under the IRA, the federal government returned certain tribal lands to the tribes and provided funding for economic development. The act also recognized tribal governments and allowed them to form their own constitutions and charters. This gave tribes more authority over their own lands and enabled them to create their own economic, educational, and social policies. The IRA also created the Indian Claims Commission which gave Native Americans the right to sue the government in pursuit of financial compensation for lands that had been taken from them in the past. While this did some small amount of good, many tribes would not benefit from the commission. The IRA is still in effect today and has been used by many tribes in Washington to gain greater autonomy in their own affairs. The act is one of the most important pieces of legislation for Native Americans, granting them a measure of self-governance and restoring their lost lands.

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What is the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934?

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