The recent Supreme Court ruling regarding the fate of a young Cherokee girl has reignited debate about the role of the Indian Child Welfare Act in today’s society. The law has faced critics since its passage in 1978. But understanding why it was implemented also helps explain why it remains necessary. For hundreds of years, the official policies of the United States were to eradicate American Indians from their homelands. The doctrine of Manifest Destiny did not have room for the first peoples of this land. While the practice of genocide gave way to assimilation policies, the goal was still the same: to remove the Indian or Indian culture from these lands. As a result, Native Americans have been forcibly removed from their homelands and forbidden to speak their language or practice their culture. In the 1970s, a study by the Association of American Indian Affairs found, as many as 35 percent of Indian children were removed from their homelands through religious programs, boarding schools and adoption.Get the Story:
Navajo Nation President Ben Shelly: Baby Veronica and the fight to preserve Native American culture (The Washington Post 7/7) Supreme Court Decision:
Adoptive Couple v. Baby Girl (June 25, 2013) Oral Argument Transcript:
Adoptive Couple v. Cherokee Nation (April 16, 2013) South Carolina Supreme Court Decision:
Adoptive Couple v. Cherokee Nation (July 26, 2012) Related Stories:
Cherokee Nation father speaks out after Supreme Court ruling (7/3)
Aura Bogado: Supreme Court brings up blood in ICWA ruling (7/2)
Bill John Baker: Cherokee children are our most valuable asset (7/1)
Supreme Court issues order to finalize decision in ICWA case (7/1)
Non-Indian couple rushes to resolve custody in ICWA case (6/28)
Jacqueline Keeler: Saving Baby Veronica from being Indian (6/28)
Editorial: Supreme Court got it right in Baby Veronica case (6/28)
Alex Pearl: Supreme Court sends message on Indian blood (6/27)
Turtle Talk: More thoughts on Supreme Court ICWA decision (6/27)
Native Sun News: Supreme Court goes against Indian father (6/27)
Kevin Abourezk: Nebraska reaction to decision in ICWA case (6/26)
Jennifer Gapetz: Baby Veronica is a Cherokee Nation citizen (6/26)
Lots of Links: Coverage of Indian Child Welfare Act decision (6/26)
Supreme Court rules against Cherokee father in ICWA dispute (6/25)
Cherokee Chief: Baby girl should remain with biological father (6/25)
NCAI remains hopeful after ruling in Supreme Court ICWA case (6/25)
Turtle Talk: Initial impressions of Supreme Court's ICWA ruling (6/25)
Opinion: We fought the Cherokee Nation to keep adopted child (6/25)
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