Native American resistance to land loss, treaty violations, and assaults on culture and children have long been resisted. Below are some historical highlights that are illustrative, not exhaustive:

• The Sioux Wars (1876 and 1877) resisted US policies around land and food rations and saw victories against the US government, including Little Bighorn.
• Some students in Boarding Schools resisted being removed from their families and forced assimilation by running away and using a Native sign language (Plains Sign Talk) to speak.
• During the Civil Rights Movement of the 1960s, the Indigenous Civil Rights groups fought for self-determination and rights, including land rights, environmental justice, and missing women.
• Current advocacy efforts include:
  • Fight against extractive industries on Native Land. A flash point for this was the Dakota Access Pipeline protests on the Pine Ridge Reservation.
    • There is current pressure in Nevada to mine lithium for batteries (as the demand for batteries grows) on the Duck Valley Reservation. There is active opposition.
• Fight for land to be returned. In the United States vs. The Sioux Nation of Indians (1980), the Supreme Court sided with the Sioux Nation that the Black Hills (where Mount Rushmore is located) were illegally seized in violation of the Fort Laramie Treaty of 1868. The Sioux was awarded over $100 million in restitution for the illegal seizure. As of 2023, the restitution payment (now over $1 billion) for the land has not been claimed. There is continued advocacy for the return of the Black Hills, including the rallying cry “The Black Hills are Not for Sale.”

Additional Resources

• Howard Law Libraries Indigenous People’s Civil Rights Guide overviews important points in the struggle for rights and self determination: