Western Oregon Indian Termination Act facts for kids

The Western Oregon Indian Termination Act, also known as Public Law 588, was a law passed in August 1954. It was part of a larger plan by the United States government called the Indian termination policy. This policy aimed to end the special relationship between the federal government and many Native American tribes.

The act stopped the government's care over the land and property of many Native American groups and small tribes. These tribes were all located west of the Cascade Range in Oregon. The law also meant that federal services, like healthcare or education, that these tribes received would stop. This act was similar to other termination laws passed at the time.

What Was the Western Oregon Indian Termination Act?

The Western Oregon Indian Termination Act was a law that changed how the U.S. government dealt with many Native American tribes in Oregon. Before this act, the government had a special relationship with these tribes, often holding their land in "trust." This meant the government managed the land for the tribes. The act ended this trust relationship. It also stopped many federal services that tribes relied on.

Why Did This Act Happen?

The termination policy was based on the idea that Native American tribes should become more like other American citizens. The government wanted to end the special status of tribes and their lands. This meant tribes would no longer be recognized as separate nations by the U.S. government. They would lose their special rights and their lands would no longer be protected by the government.

How Many Tribes Were Affected?

The Western Oregon Indian Termination Act was unique because it affected so many tribes. In total, 61 tribes in Western Oregon lost their federal recognition. This was more than the number of tribes affected by all other similar acts combined.

However, it seems that the government listed every tribe ever mentioned in old agreements. Some of these tribes had very few members left by the 1890s or 1930s. The history of Native American lands in Oregon is also very complex. Reservations like Siletz and Grande Ronde were created, combined, and then separated again over time. This made it hard to know exactly how many people belonged to each tribe.

In 1930, about 1,564 Native Americans were counted in Oregon from the groups affected by this act. By 1956, the official list for the Confederated Tribes of Siletz had 929 names. The list for the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde had 862 names. These numbers show that many people were affected by the termination.

Getting Their Land and Rights Back: Restoration

After the termination act, many tribes worked hard to get their federal recognition back. This process is called "restoration." It meant getting their special relationship with the U.S. government and their land rights restored.

Five main restoration acts helped bring back many of the tribes that had been part of the Grand Ronde or Siletz Reservations. Some of these tribes later gained their own federal recognition separately.

For example, the Confederated Tribes of Siletz Indians had their federal recognition restored on November 18, 1977. This was done through a special law. When they were restored, over 4,250 acres of land were put back into federal trust for them.

The Confederated Tribes of the Grand Ronde Community of Oregon were restored on November 22, 1983. A federal law also made this happen. More than 10,678 acres of land were returned to their trust.

Other tribes, like the Coquille Indian Tribe, also worked to get their recognition back. The Coquille Tribe was restored on June 28, 1989, and over 6,481 acres of land were returned to them. The Confederated Tribes of Coos, Lower Umpqua and Siuslaw Indians were restored on October 17, 1984.

The Chinook Indian Nation is made up of five tribes from Washington and Oregon. They are still working to get their federal recognition. They were briefly recognized in 2001, but that decision was reversed in 2002. They are still trying to appeal this decision.