Curtis Act

What happened

The Curtis Act, approved June 28, 1898, is titled "An Act For the protection of the people of the Indian Territory, and for other purposes." It applied to the Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Muscogee (Creek) and Seminole nations in what is now Oklahoma. The Oklahoma Historical Society's encyclopedia says it was sponsored by Charles Curtis of Kansas, whom it describes as a mixed-blood Kansa Indian, and that Congress used it to take "final control" over affairs in Indian Territory.

Section 11 told the "Dawes Commission," once a tribe's citizenship roll and land survey were complete, to allot "the exclusive use and occupancy of the surface" of the tribe's lands among its citizens. Oil, coal, asphalt and other minerals stayed with the tribe, and town sites were set aside from allotment. Section 26 said tribal laws "shall not be enforced at Law or in equity by the courts of the United States in the Indian Territory."

Section 28 abolished all tribal courts in Indian Territory on July 1, 1898, moving pending cases to United States courts (October 1 for the Chickasaw, Choctaw and Creek). The Choctaw and Chickasaw section adds that tribal council acts affecting land, money or property had no validity until the President approved them.

The encyclopedia says the Act helped weaken tribal governments, that enrollment and allotment proceeded "without tribal consent," and that it helped pave the way to Oklahoma statehood.

Summarized with AI assistance from 5 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error