Termination Revisited: American Indians on the Trail to Self-Determination, 1933-1953 by Kenneth R. Philp
Termination Revisited: American Indians on the Trail to Self-Determination, 1933–1953 provides a detailed historical analysis of the evolving legal, political, and economic relationships between Native American tribes and the United States government in the two decades surrounding the Indian Reorganization Act of 1935. The book examines the complex interactions between tribal leaders, federal officials, and policymakers during a period of significant change in federal Indian policy.
Focusing on the years leading up to the Termination era, the volume traces how governmental approaches shifted from assimilationist programs of the early 20th century toward policies that both recognized tribal sovereignty and, later, threatened it. It documents the intricate negotiations, disputes, and collaborations that shaped tribal governance, land rights, and economic development, revealing the strategies Indigenous leaders used to preserve their communities while navigating federal authority.
The book highlights how federal programs intended to “modernize” Native American life often conflicted with traditional practices and self-determination, laying the groundwork for the drastic termination policies of the 1950s. By connecting the perspectives and actions of both governmental and tribal officials, Termination Revisited provides a nuanced understanding of the political and legal foundations that preceded the tribal sovereignty movements of the latter 20th century.