Checkpoint

A Letter Writing Campaign Axia College ~ Worksheet 9 Write a 300 to 400-word letter to a Congresswoman or Congressman about a Native American issue as if you were Native American. You may use the National Congress of American Indians website http://www.ncai.org, The Indian Country Newspaper at http://www.indiancountry.com and Racial and Ethnic Groups (class text) to help you with this checkpoint. Be sure to include the following components: * What tribe you belong to and where that tribe currently lives. * What is one Native American problem that you would like to see addressed' How does this issue affect Native Americans' * What would you like to see done to alleviate this problem' * What will be the outcome if your problem is addressed' What will be the outcome if it remains unaddressed' * Make sure that you include all parts of a formal letter (i.e., date, salutation, closing, printed name). Do not answer these questions in a question/answer format (i.e., writing the answer under each question). Answer the questions in a paragraph format. ------------------------------------------------- Name | Joanna Jackson | Date | 6/18/10 | Many issues existed between the Native Americans and the Government; however the lawsuit between five Native Americans against the U.S. Department of the Interior and the U.S. Department of the Treasury in 1996 struck my interest. This particular lawsuit has contracted more than half a million Native Americans and their heirs. The reason for this lawsuit was to make the government be held responsible for the money held in trust for the Native Americans. Also, the purpose was to bring out a reform of the supposed trust system. The supporting facts for this case go far back into history. Supposedly, under the “General Allotment Act of 1887, tribal lands were divided into parcels of 80 to 168 acres of land”. Originally, many Native Americans became land owners and the non-used land was given back to the government for other purposes. The government, as trustee for the Native Americans, took title to their lands, established an Individual Indian Trust and took complete responsibility for management of the trust lands. Any profits from the lands from mining, logging, etc. should have been evenly distributed to the Native Americans as their own profit. It has been stated by the plaintiffs that the Department of the Interior has no documentation for the many Native Americans beneficiaries nor the millions and millions of dollars owed to the Native Americans. Finally, in 1996 the U.S. District Judge ruled the Department of the Interior and the Treasury had breached the agreement and trust towards the Native Americans. Then it was ordered that the Interior to provide an account of all trust funds from the previous years. Then in 2006 the Judge hearing the case was removed and replaced with Judge James Robertson. Up to this date, the final parts of the trial as well as the accounts of the money have not been heard nor has it been scheduled.   References http://www.indiantrust.com/index.cfm'FuseAction=Overview.Home