"Retained by the People"

This vivid chronicle is the first in-depth, comprehensive history of the relationship between American Indians and the Bill of Rights, tracing developments and issues from earliest times to 1991. The book begins with a thorough examination of rights and legal status as perceived by NativeAmericans, addressing such topics as conduct and collective rights. Then "Retained by The People" recounts the various brutal forms of colonialism forced upon indigenous nations by Europeans and Americans through 1900. The book next gives a balanced and detailed analysis of twentieth-century eventsthat have shaped Native American rights under the United States Constitution. The author, in devoting approximately three-fourths of the book to the history of twentieth-century legal developments, explores attacks on Indian culture in the 1920s, the empowerment of tribal governments during thethirties, and federal attempts at cultural and political liquidation through the forties, fifties, and sixties. Also included are the first detailed assessment of the 1968 Indian Bill of Rights and a complete narrative of Native American efforts toward achieving limited sovereignty and unlimitedrights over the past three decades. "Retained by The People" will be vital to anyone interested in Native American history, U.S. legal history, or U.S. constitutional law.