Looking Back at The Trail of Broken Treaties

The week before the 1972 presidential election, more than 500 Native Americans took over the Bureau of Indian Affairs for a six-day-long protest. They called it “The Trail of Broken Treaties” — a reference to the Trail of Tears and the federal government’s failure to honor several treaties with tribal governments. They said that failure had led to poor housing, education, and health.

The group had traveled to D.C. in caravans, presenting their “Twenty Points” doctrine along the route, with the intention of presenting it to President Richard Nixon himself.

However, upon arrival, a group of guards at the BIA tried to throw the activists out, and when police in riot gear arrived, the situation escalated further. The group barricaded itself inside the building, and raised a banner that read “Native American Embassy.” The activists spent the next few days uncovering and taking files on broken land deals.

After much negotiating, the indigenous protesters left with the understanding that they would not be prosecuted and that their travel home would be paid for. Despite its lackluster end, many saw the occupation as a success for bringing attention to Native Americans’ struggles.