American Indian Resources

The American Indian Citizenship Act of 1924, also known as the Snyder Act, granted U.S. citizenship to all Native Americans born within the territorial boundaries of the United States. Prior to the act, Native Americans were not considered citizens and were instead treated as wards of the federal government.

The act was introduced by Representative Homer P. Snyder and signed into law by President Calvin Coolidge on June 2, 1924. It aimed to recognize the contributions and sacrifices of Native Americans who had served in the U.S. military during World War I and to address the unequal treatment they had endured.

By granting citizenship, Native Americans were given the right to vote and the protection of the Constitution. However, it's important to note that while the act granted citizenship, it did not automatically grant full rights to Native Americans. Many tribes and individuals still faced discrimination and continued to fight for their rights and sovereignty in subsequent years.

Overall, the American Indian Citizenship Act of 1924 marked an important step toward recognizing Native Americans as full citizens of the United States, though challenges and struggles for equality persisted in the years that followed.

History Channel - Native Americans’ Long Journey to US Citizenship and Voting Rights
In 1924, Native people won the right to full citizenship when President Calvin Coolidge signed the Indian Citizenship Act, also known as the Snyder Act. But many saw the act as a way to break up Native nations and forcibly assimilate them into American society. A key part of this movement was forcing young Indigenous people to attend boarding schools.

C-Span Lecture - Birthright Citizenship in U.S. History
A panel of professors looks at the history of the 14th amendment and its grant of birthright citizenship, Jul 28, 2012, and how that has affected different ethnic groups, including Native Americans, and immigrant groups such as Asians & Mexicans. The panelists also talk about state and federal efforts over the years to regulate birthright citizenship, and touch on recent proposals to amend the Constitution’s Citizenship Clause. This discussion was part of a conference on birthright citizenship hosted by the University of Maryland’s Center for the History of the New America. The lecture is about two hours.

Article: The Nation
June 2, 1924: Calvin Coolidge Signs the Indian Citizenship Act America is a reckless squanderer where small racial units are concerned, and thecause of any Indian race seems a priori a lost cause." By Richard Kreitner and The Almanac

Blog Post: The Constitution Center
On this day, all American Indians made United States citizens. Written on June 2, 2022 by The National Constitution Center Staff