Bureau of Indian Affairs

Bureau within the US Department of the Interior responsible for administering federal programmes for recognized American Indian ethnic groups, and for promoting American Indian self-determination. Created on 11 March 1824, its primary responsibility has been to ‘civilize’ and educate American Indians, although it has also administered treaty negotiations, regulated and licensed trade with American Indians, controlled liquor in Native areas, settled land disputes, and implemented the allotment system of the Dawes Act of 1887 and the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. The Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) has a responsibility to enhance the quality of life, promote economic opportunities, and protect assets of American Indians and Alaskan Natives. It does so by providing law enforcement, social services, health care facilities, education, housing, and business loans.

Most of the early field officials, or ‘Indian agents’, maintained contact with American Indians by living on the reservations. Acting as representatives of the federal government, they corresponded regularly with Washington, providing information for the formulation and implementation of federal policy. Corruption and political patronage were rampant in the early days of the service.

In March 1997 it was reported that $2.4 billion of the funds that the BIA holds in trust for individuals and ethnic groups was missing.

The BIA currently provides federal services to approximately 1.2 million American Indians and Alaskan Natives, who are members of more than 557 federally recognized ethnic groups in the USA. It administers over 43 million acres of land owned by ethnic groups and over ten million acres of individually owned land. The current staff of the BIA is about 90% American Indian.