U.S. Office of Indian Affairs

U. S. OFFICE OF INDIAN AFFAIRS

The Office of Indian Affairs of the Department of the Interior has, under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, the management of all Indian Affairs and of all matters arising out of Indian relations. It is, in effect, a government within a government since it is directly concerned with the affairs of nearly 350,000 people who inhabit some 51,000,000 acres in twenty-six of the states.

The Indian Service is charged with the economic development of the Indian both tribally and as individuals; the organization of Indian tribes, including credit organizations; Indian education in boarding schools, day schools and community centers operated by the government and in public schools and other non-governmental institutions; the health, medical and sanitation activities; the land program, involving land acquisition and adjustment, tribal enrollment, land sales; forestry, involving forest management, fire protection, grazing; the furtherance of an agricultural extension program; irrigation, both construction and maintenance and operation; construction and upkeep of buildings at field units throughout the Indian country; and the construction and maintenance of roads and bridges on Indian lands and other activities. The Service is also charged with the health and educational program for the 30,000 natives of Alaska.

In order to carry on the administrative work in connection with so huge a task, there are some 6,700 Federal employees within the Indian Service. This group is headed by the Commissioner of Indian Affairs and the Assistant Commissioner of Indian Affairs. The Commissioners are aided by a staff including Chief Counsel, Finance or Budget Officer, and the heads of ten divisions or departments. These are Legal, Indian Organization, Education, Health, Extensions and Industry, Construction, Lands and Minerals, Forestry and Grazing, Irrigation and Roads. In addition to these divisions there is the Arts and Crafts Board of the Department of the Interior created by an Act of Congress whose duties are: (1) To undertake market research to determine the best opportunity for the sale of various products of Indian handiwork or manufacture; (2) to engage in technical research looking toward improvement of Indian products; (3) to engage in experimentation directly or through selected agencies; (4) to correlate and encourage the various governmental and private agencies engaged in similar activities; (5) to assist the management of operating groups in the furtherance of specific projects; (6) to assist appropriate agencies in obtaining loans to aid in the production and sale of Indian products; (7) to create Government trade marks of genuineness and quality for Indian products, and to establish standards for the use thereof; (8) to license the use of such trade marks. There is also an additional division which is charged with Indian Emergency Conservation Work and other emergency activities.

The 277 tribes are grouped under 62 Federal jurisdictions, commonly called reservations. In addition to these reservations there are also twelve boarding schools. In all cases the Superintendent is an administrative officer and the direct contact between the Washington Office and the Indians.

Aside from taking care of the immediate needs of the Indians, the main objective of the Office of Indian Affairs to which all employees are committed is to bring about the ultimate economic and social freedom of the Indian.