The first step towards terminating the reservations came in 1946 when Congress, in part to reward Native Americans for their contribution to the war effort, set up the Indian Claims Commission to hear Indian claims for any lands stolen from them since the creation of the USA in 1776.
The Commission was initially supported by the National Congress of American Indians (NCAI):
- However, it was clear that the Commission would provide only financial compensation and not return any land.
The federal government regarded the Commission as the first step to ‘getting out of the Indian business.’
President Truman even said ‘With the final settlement of all outstanding claims which this measure ensures, Indians can take their place without special handicaps or special advantages in the economic life of our nation and share fully its progress.’
Many land claims resulted in significant compensation, including nearly:
- $14,800,000 to the Cherokee nation
- $10,250,000 to the Crow tribe
- $12,300,000 to the Seminoles
- The original intention was for the Commission to sit for 5 years, but there were so many claims that it remained in existence until 1978.