Keeler Commission
The Keeler Commission was established in 1961 under Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall, with the goal of reforming federal Indian policy following a period of termination that aimed to assimilate Native Americans and dissolve governmental obligations. Chaired by William Wayne Keeler, a prominent figure in the Cherokee Nation and a corporate executive, the commission included experts from various fields, including anthropology and public administration. After conducting hearings and field visits, the commission produced a report advocating for a shift in policy focus from termination to development, emphasizing the importance of economic opportunities for Native communities.
The commission's recommendations included attracting industries to reservations, implementing job training and placement services, and enhancing public education about Native cultures. The report also highlighted the necessity for increased Indian participation in government programs. The findings contributed to a broader change in federal policy during the 1960s, leading to congressional authorization for Indian loans and increased resource development on reservations. Ultimately, the Keeler Commission played a notable role in transitioning U.S. policy towards a more supportive approach to Native American communities, promoting self-determination and cultural preservation.
Keeler Commission
The intent of federal Indian policy from 1953 to 1962 was to dissolve government obligations and responsibilities toward Native Americans in order to bring about assimilation. This disastrous program was called “termination.” It undermined tribal governments and resources, eroded ethnic identities, and impoverished groups such as the Klamath of Oregon and Menominee of Wisconsin. By the end of the decade, so much criticism had been generated by these developments that a new political consciousness concerning Indian problems began to emerge.
John F. Kennedy, elected president in 1960, affirmed that Indian land would be protected, that self-determination would be promoted, and that steps would be taken to avoid undermining the cultural heritage of any group. Secretary of the Interior Stewart Udall appointed a special task force on Indian affairs in February of 1961 with an eye toward reorganizing the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) in order to carry out this mandate.
William Wayne Keeler, a top-level executive with Phillips Petroleum Company and principal chief of the Cherokee Nation, was appointed chairman of the task force. Other members included Philleo Nash, an anthropologist and former lieutenant governor of Wisconsin who had participated in the Menominee termination plans; James Officer, a University of Arizona anthropologist; William Zimmerman, Jr., assistant commissioner of the BIA from 1933 to 1950; and consultant John Crow. After hearings and field trips to western reservations, the commission filed its seventy-seven-page report on July 10, 1961. Nash also included a summary of the report in the Annual Report of the Commissioner of Indian Affairs for 1961.
The commission’s main finding was that future BIA policy should emphasize development rather than termination. Recommendations included the attraction of industries to reservations, along with job training and placement services. Loan programs were encouraged, rapid settlement of Indian Claims Commission cases was urged, and increased efforts to educate the general public about Indian culture were promoted. The report also stressed the need for Indian participation in government programs.
In the 1960s, Congress granted authorization for Indian loans, tribal resources increased, and development of reservation resources replaced the focus on assimilating Indians through relocation to the cities. The Keeler Commission played a small but noticeable role in the shift away from the termination policy.
Bibliography
Agnew, Brad. "Keeler, William Wayne (1908–1987)." Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture. Oklahoma History Ctr., 2009. Web. 27 Apr. 2015.
Cobb, Daniel M. Native Activism in Cold War America: The Struggle for Sovereignty. Lawrence: UP of Kansas, 2008. Print.
Parker, Sandra Sac, "William Wayne Keeler, 1908–1987: Cherokee Tribal Leader and Businessman." Notable Native Americans. Ed. Sharon Malinowski and George H. J. Abrams. New York: Gale, 1995. Print.
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Waldman, Carl. Atlas of the North American Indian. 3rd ed. New York: Facts on File, 2009. Print.