About Us
The Eastern Association on Indian Affairs was started in New York in 1922 to assist a group of Pueblo people who were fighting efforts to dismantle their pueblos. In the 1920's this organization merged with a like-minded entity, and again merged with a third entity in 1937. In 1946, the name was changed to the Association on American Indian Affairs. In 1957, the organization was granted non-profit, 501 (c)(3) status for federal tax purposes.
Over
the years the Association has played a critical role in a host of landmark events
that benefited Native people. We have played an integral part in drafting a number
of important laws, including the Indian Child Welfare Act, the Native
American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, and the Tribal Governmental Tax Status
Act. We have established health programs, such an innovative field nursing
program, that later were adopted and expanded upon by the Indian Health Service.
We have established organizations like the Medicine Wheel Coalition for the
Protection of Sacred Sites and negotiated landmark agreements to protect sacred
lands such as the Bighorn Medicine Wheel and Medicine Mountain in
Wyoming. We have awarded thousands of scholarships to Native American college
and graduate students, beginning in 1948.
Mission
The mission of the AAIA, as approved by our Board of Directors, is to promote the welfare of American Indians and Alaska Natives by supporting efforts to:
- sustain and perpetuate their cultures and languages;
- protect their sovereignty, constitutional, legal and human rights, and natural resources; and
- improve their health, education, and economic and community development.
AAIA is a national Indian organization with offices in Rockville, Maryland and Sisseton, South Dakota. We are governed by an all-Native American Board of Directors. Our programs fall into four main categories: youth/education, health, cultural preservation and sovereignty.
Because we are involved in so many diverse areas which span the spectrum of Indian affairs, it is sometimes difficult to characterize the Association.
We work to preserve Native languages, but we're not a school. We provide legal support to protect sacred places, but we're not a public interest law firm. We work to repatriate sacred objects to tribes, but we're not a museum. We work in the field of Indian child welfare, but we're not a social services agency.
Here are some of the ways that we’re unique:
- We are the oldest Indian advocacy organization in the United States, with a proud 85 year history.
- We are an independent organization. We take very little government money. Moreover, although our Board of Directors is made up of respected Indian people from tribes all over the country and we work closely with Indian tribes, we are not a tribal membership organization.
- Because of our independence, we can put our resources where they are most needed. We work on issues and problems that are vitally important to Indian people, communities and tribes but which are too often ignored, such as sacred lands protection and Native language preservation.
- We work at both the grass roots level and nationally.
- We not only provide legal assistance, but also provide programming directly to communities and cash grants and scholarships to Indian tribes, organizations and students.
- Our programs are designed for the long haul, generating successes step by step through our persistent efforts.
By supporting AAIA, you are supporting programs that benefit Native American people across the country.
