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- By Levi Rickert
Bozho Readers,
In recognition of the 100th anniversary of the Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, Native News Online will devote the month of June to reflect upon the complex journey of Native American citizenship over the past century in a campaign we have entitled “Heritage Unbound: Native American Citizenship at 100.”
On June 2, 1924, President Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act, also known as the Snyder Act. On that day, about 125,000 of the estimated 300,000 Native Americans alive became U.S. citizens. The majority had gained citizenship through intermarriage and/or land ownership.
The Act read that “all noncitizen Indians born within the territorial limits of the United States be, and they are hereby, declared to be citizens of the United States: Provided that the granting of such citizenship shall not in any manner impair or otherwise affect the right of any Indian to tribal or other property.”
Most Americans are unaware that women gained the right to vote before Native Americans became U.S. citizens. Studies have also shown that U.S. citizens know little, if anything, about Native Americans — 4 in 10 don’t even think Native Americans still exist. These facts underscore the need for greater awareness of our history and the present-day realities we face.
Native News Online is committed to bridging this gap. To mark this centennial, we’re launching a month-long commemoration — publishing essays, reporting stories, producing a video, and hosting a livestream — that will showcase the diverse and thriving Native American communities of today. Through these and other efforts, we hope to bring more awareness to our citizenship and the invaluable contributions we continue to make in this modern era.
We hope you will learn from our reporting during “Heritage Unbound: Native Citizenship at 100 and pass on this coverage so that more people become acquainted with how the first people of this continent became the last people to gain citizenship on Turtle Island.
Please join us tomorrow, Sunday, June 2, 2024 at 12 noon - EDT, for a stream to learn more about the significance of Native American citizenship on Native News Online's Facebook, X (Twitter), or YouTube channel to be inspired.
Chi Megwetch (a big thank you) for your continued readership and support.
Levi Rickert
Publisher/Editor
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The devastating impact of COVID-19 accelerated the loss of Native elders and with them, irreplaceable cultural knowledge. Yet across tribal communities, innovative leaders are fighting back, reclaiming traditional food systems and breathing new life into Native languages. These aren't just cultural preservation efforts—they're powerful pathways to community health, healing, and resilience.
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Levi Rickert (Potawatomi), Editor & Publisher
