National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) is an advocacy organization established in 1944, serving as a coalition for sovereign American Indian nations recognized by the United States. Its primary mission is to protect the rights and interests of American Indians as citizens of their respective tribes and nations. The NCAI is structured as a congress, enabling member tribes to participate through a voting system that allows them to elect delegates for representation at conventions and executive councils. Initially focused on promoting American Indian rights, education, and the preservation of cultural values, the NCAI has evolved to address contemporary issues, including legislative efforts for cultural rights and the repatriation of indigenous remains and artifacts. The organization operates through membership dues and fundraising initiatives, reinforcing its commitment to advocacy and representation. Over the decades, the NCAI has played a significant role in responding to challenges faced by Native communities, including efforts against policies of termination and relocation in the mid-20th century. Overall, the NCAI remains a pivotal entity in the ongoing pursuit of justice and equity for American Indian peoples.
National Congress of American Indians (NCAI)
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI), organized in 1944, is a coalition of sovereign nations recognized by the United States through treaty and executive agreement. Its purpose is to protect the rights of American Indians as citizens of nations and tribes within the boundaries of the United States. It is supported through annual membership dues and special fund-raising endeavors. It is organized as a congress, with American Indian governments voting to participate and selecting delegates and alternates to represent them in the NCAI convention and executive council, where they have blocks of votes.
American Indian delegates representing fifty tribes with homes in twenty-seven western states met in Denver, Colorado, in 1944. The NCAI’s initial stated goals included pursuit of American Indian rights within the United States, expansion and improvement of Indian education, preservation of Indian values, and equitable settlement of Indian claims. During the 1950s, it aided in the struggle against termination and relocation. More recently, it has been in the forefront of the struggle for Native American cultural rights legislation, which has brought on more reasonable approaches to repatriation of Indian remains and artifacts.
Bibliography
Littleton, Steven A., and James E. Seelye. Voices of the American Indian Experience. Santa Barbara: Greenwood, 2013. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 12 May. 2015.
Natl. Congress of Amer. Indians. NCAI.org. Natl. Congress of Amer. Indians, 2001–2015. Web. 12 May. 2015.
Sanders, Eric A., and Albert O. Hughes. American Indians: Developments, Policies and Research. New York: Nova, 2014. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 12 May. 2015.
Wilkins, David E. American Indian Politics and the American Political System. Lanham: Rowman, 2011. eBook Collection (EBSCOhost). Web. 12 May. 2015.
Wunder, John R. “The National Congress of American Indians: The Founding Years.” Amer. Historical Rev. 106.2 (2001): 600–602. Academic Search Complete. Web. 12 May. 2015.