Indians in the Curriculum:
20 Handouts for Middle and High School
History and Social Studies
By Kerry Dunne
Handout 19 Resources: President Johnson's Message, 1968
Background:
This speech to Congress on March 6, 1968 is part of President
Lyndon B. Johnson’s civil rights legacy. It illustrates his concern for the
social welfare of traditionally disadvantaged or oppressed Americans. Reprinted in
Documents of United States Indian Policy, edited by Francis Paul Prucha,
University of Nebraska Press, Lincoln, 1975.
President Johnson, Special Message to Congress, March 6,
1968
A forceful statement of a new direction in Indian policy which
recognized Indian self-determination was made by President Lyndon B. Johnson in a
"Special Message to Congress on the Problems of the American Indian: 'The
Forgotten American,' " on March 6, 1968.
.... I propose a new goal for our Indian programs: A goal that
ends the old debate about "termination" of Indian programs and stresses
self-determination; a goal that erases old attitudes of paternalism and promotes
partnership self-help.
Our goal must be:
-A standard of living for the Indians equal to that of the
country at a whole.
-Freedom of Choice: An opportunity to remain in their homelands,
if they choose, without surrendering their dignity; an opportunity to move to the
towns and cities of America if they choose, equipped with the skills to live in
undertaken independent efforts to live in equality and dignity.
-Full participation in the life of modern America, with a
full share of economic opportunity and social justice.
I propose, in short, a policy of maximum choice for the American
Indian: a policy expressed in programs of self-help, self-development,
self-determination.
To start toward our goal in Fiscal 1969, I recommend that the
Congress appropriate one-half a billion dollars for programs target at the American
Indian-about 10 percent more than Fiscal 1968.
Strengthened Federal Leadership
In the past four years, with the advent of major new programs,
several agencies have undertaken independent efforts to help the American Indian. Too
often, there has been too little coordination between agencies; no clear, unified
policy which applied to all.
To launch an undivided, Government-wide effort in this area,
I am today issuing an Executive Order to establish a National Council on Indian
Opportunity.
The Chairman of the Council will be the Vice President who
will bring the problems of the Indians to the highest levels of Government. The
Council will include a cross section of Indian leaders, and high government officials
who have programs in this field:
-The Secretary of the Interior, who has primary responsibility
for India Affairs.
-The Secretary of Agriculture, whose programs affect thousands of
Indians.
-The Secretary of Commerce, who can help promote economic
development of Indian lands. /em>
-The Secretary of Labor, whose man power programs can train more
Indians for more useful employment.
-The Secretary of Health, Education and Welfare, who can help
Indian communities with two of their most pressing needs-health and education.
-The Secretary of Housing and Urban Development, who can bring
better housing to Indian lands.
-The Director of the Office of Economic Opportunity, whose
programs are already operating in several Indian community.
The Council will review Federal programs for Indians, make broad
policy recommendations, and ensure that programs reflect the needs and desires of the
Indian people, Most important, I have asked the Vice President, as Chairman of the
Council, to make certain that the American Indian to shares fully in 211 our federal
programs.
Self-help and Self-determination
The greatest hope for Indian progress lies in the emergence of
Indian leadership and initiative in solving Indian problems. Indians must have a
voice in making the plans and decisions in programs which are important to their daily
life
Within the last few months we have seen a new concept of
community development-a concept based on self-help-work successfully among Indians.
Many tribes have begun to administer activities which Federal agencies had long
performed in their behalf…
Passive acceptance of Federal service is giving way to Indian
involvement. More than ever before, Indian needs are being identified from the Indian
viewpoint-as they should be.
This principle is the key to progress for Indians-just as it has
been for other Americans. If we base our programs upon it, the day will come when the
relationship between Indians and the Government will be one of full partnership-not
dependency…
[Sections on education, health and medical care, jobs and economic
community services, civil rights, off-reservation Indians, and Alaska Natives
claims.]
The First Americans
The program I propose seeks to promote communities Indian
development by improving health and education, encouraging long-term economic growth,
and strengthening community institutions.
Underlying this program is the assumption that the Federal
government can best be a responsible partner in Indian progress by treating the
Indian himself as a full citizen responsible for the pace and direction of his
development.
But there can be no question that the government and the
people of the United States have a responsibility to the Indians.
In our efforts to meet that responsibility, we must pledge
to respect fully the dignity and the uniqueness of the Indian citizen. That means
partnership-not paternalism.
We must affirm the right of the first Americans to remain
Indians while exercising their rights as Americans.
We must affirm their right to freedom of choice and
self-determination.
We must seek new ways to provide Federal assistance to
Indians-with new emphasis on Indian self-help and with respect for Indian culture.
And we must assure the Indian people that it is our desire and
intention that the special relationship between the Indian and his government grow
and flourish.
For, the first among us must not be last.
I urge the Congress to affirm this policy and to enact this
program.
Activities 19: President Johnson's Message, 1968
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