Conclusion

To date, the most important change in federal Indian policy in the history of Oklahoma and the country is the shift from termination and relocation to self-determination for Indigenous nations and tribal citizens. Many positive changes have flowed from this change. Tribes have strengthened their governments. They have offered better programs and services to their communities as a direct result of having more sovereignty. The economic contributions of Indigenous nations to the state economy have increased considerably. As we will explore in chapter 14, Oklahoma grew increasingly conservative in the 1980s. However, both Republicans and Democrats supported at least some aspects of tribal sovereignty. This helped make a continued partnership between the tribes and the state possible. That partnership would face great pressure with new rulings, most notably the 2020 Supreme Court McGirt decision. But the role of Indigenous nations in the state and their contributions to Oklahoma’s economy and culture have only increased in the decades since President Ford signed the Indian Self-Determination and Educational Assistance Act.