How the Relocation Era Shaped Urban Native Identity

CrashCourse

This episode of Crash Course Native American History explores the complex legacy of the Relocation and Termination Era (1950s-1960s). It details the U.S. government's attempt to assimilate Native Americans by moving them from reservations to urban centers through the Bureau of Indian Affairs' relocation program. The video explains the motivations behind these policies, led by figures like Dillon S. Myer, and contrasts the government's promises of prosperity with the harsh realities of poverty and discrimination that many Native people faced in cities like Chicago, Denver, and Los Angeles. The video delves into the unintended consequences of these policies, specifically the rise of "Pan-Indianism" and the formation of intertribal activist groups like the American Indian Movement (AIM). It examines the demographic shifts that have led to a significant urban Native population today and discusses the challenges of census data and identity. The narrative highlights the resilience of Native communities who, instead of disappearing, created new support systems, cultural centers, and housing projects like Little Earth in Minneapolis. For educators, this video serves as a crucial resource for teaching modern Native American history, Civil Rights, and sociology. It challenges the stereotype that Native people only live on reservations and provides a nuanced look at government policy, identity politics, and community organizing. It connects historical events to contemporary issues, such as underfunding in urban Indian health services and the complexities of tribal enrollment versus self-identification on the U.S. Census.