The legal roots of ‘Indian’ and ‘Indian Country’

Quick Read

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the term "Indian" in federal law is a political distinction, referring to members of federally recognized tribes. The 1974 ruling continues to influence the courts today.

Minnesota marks Indigenous Peoples Day on Monday. While the word “Indigenous” is more common than ever, the word “Indian” and phrases like “Indian Country,” “tribe” and “band” turn up regularly in news stories about Native people.

It is language that can feel stuck in the past, even if policies have changed. These words and phrases appear in the U.S. Constitution, treaties and federal law, and they continue to shape Native political and cultural life.

Keith Secola, an elder Ojibwe musician who grew up on the Iron Range in northern Minnesota, was in Duluth in September to play a show at the American Indian Community Housing Organization.

Secola say...