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Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA)


In the late 1980s through 1990, the Association played a key role in obtaining the enactment of the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), a federal law that provides graves protection for federal and Tribal lands, mandates repatriation of Ancestors, their burial belongings and sacred objection and cultural patrimony from federal agencies and any institution that has been in receipt of federal funds. 

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The Association has been very involved in the implementation of NAGPRA, having facilitated repatriation of almost 2,000 human remains to Dakota Nations, as well as filing amicus briefs in NAGPRA cases, writing legal analyses of NAGPRA for Tribal and public use, providing NAGPRA training, and filing comments on proposed regulations.

We also provide NAGPRA specific training as part of our Annual Repatriation Conference, and can customize training and technical assistance for Native Nations and institutions. 
Narrated by former Association Executive Director Jack Trope

The Regulations 

When passing NAGPRA, Congress delegated authority to develop regulations to implement the Act to the Secretary of the Interior. The current administration has provided a proposed rulemaking - completing overhauling the ineffective regulations - on October 18, 2022. Tribal consultation and the public comment period ended on January 31, 2023. You can find out more information about the regulations on the National NAGPRA Program's website. 

The Association attended Tribal consultations and public sessions, and worked with the Association's Tribal Partners Working Group and its Native organization to develop comprehensive comments and changes still needed to address longstanding concerns that have burdened Native Nations, as well as museums. You can learn more about the Association's comments here:
  • ​The Association's Comments
  • The Association's Comments with the Alliance of Colonial Era Tribes
  • National Native American Boarding School Healing Coalition Comments

The Act

February 16, 2022: The Association submitted comments to the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs on needed revisions to the NAGPRA legislation in response to their oversight hearing on “The Long Journey Home: Advancing the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act’s Promise After 30 Years of Practice.” These comments were developed with our Repatriation Working Group and Tribal representatives. Download PDF here.

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Please note our mailing address change:
Association on American Indian Affairs
6030 Daybreak Circle
Suite A150-217
Clarksville, MD 21029

We are a 100% virtual organization. 

General Information


​The Association is a not-for-profit 501(c)(3)
publicly supported organization.
​We do not take federal grants.

The Association is governed by an all-Native
Board of Directors and leadership team. 

The Association is an accredited charity and meets all 20 standards of the BETTER BUSINESS BUREAU. 
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The Association has achieved the highest rating - PLATINUM - from GuideStar, now known as Candid​

100 Years of Advocacy


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In 2022, the Association turned 100 years old! Over the last century of service in Native Country, we have changed the course of federal Indian law and policy away from termination and genocide towards sovereignty, self-determination and healing. Help us move forward even stronger into our next 100 years!

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