The goal of assimilating American Indians into an alien culture seemed inevitable as superior weaponry and foreign diseases conquered the Indians. Only in the 20th century has serious consideration been given to allowing Indians to choose their own destiny. Using many excerpts from historical accounts, this book describes educational efforts by…

This brief retrospective outlines major points in the history of American Indian education and major issues in Indian curriculum and teacher training. From the arrival of Europeans until recent times, formal schooling for American Indians has been controlled by others--first missionaries, then the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). After World War…

Historically, efforts to educate American Indians have focused on "civilizing" and assimilating Indians into White society. During the early 1970s, Congress passed legislation encouraging self-determination of tribes in educational matters. Despite changes brought about by the Self-Determination Act, testimony at Indian Nations at Risk…