Statute

Klamath Termination Act

Congress ended federal supervision of the Klamath Tribes in 1954, then restored federal recognition in 1986.

Citation: Act of Aug. 13, 1954, 68 Stat. 718 (Pub. L. 83-587)
Year: 1954
Effect on land rights: eroded

What happened

The Klamath Termination Act of August 13, 1954 (Public Law 587) set out to end "Federal supervision over the trust and restricted property" of the Klamath Tribe, made up of the Klamath and Modoc Tribes and the Yahooskin Band of Snake Indians. It also ended federal services furnished to them "because of their status as Indians."

The law pushed members to choose. Each adult could elect to withdraw from the tribe and have a share of tribal property "converted into money and paid to him," or remain in the tribe under a management plan. The Secretary of the Interior was to appraise the tribal property and sell enough of it to pay out those who withdrew.

The Act did not erase every treaty right. It says that nothing in it "shall abrogate any fishing rights or privileges of the tribe or the members thereof enjoyed under Federal treaty."

The Klamath Tribes' own history says tribal representatives consistently opposed termination, that a Bureau of Indian Affairs report concluded the Tribes were not ready for it, and that their reservation land base of approximately 1.8 million acres was taken by condemnation. The Tribes' history gives that figure; other sources give different acreages.

Congress reversed course in the Klamath Indian Tribe Restoration Act, Public Law 99-398, approved August 27, 1986. It extended federal recognition to the tribe and restored rights under any federal treaty, order, agreement or statute that termination had diminished or lost.

Good to know. Reservation acreage differs by source; the Klamath Tribes' own history says about 1.8 million acres.

Summarized with AI assistance from 4 sources and checked against their words; not yet reviewed by historians or by the nations. Report an error

What the sources say, and how this was checked

Well supported by the sources below.

to provide for the termination of Federal supervision over the trust and restricted property of the Klamath Tribe of IndiansKlamath Termination Act, Public Law 587, 68 Stat. 718 (Aug. 13, 1954), Statutes at Large
Nothing in this Act shall abrogate any fishing rights or privileges of the tribe or the members thereof enjoyed under Federal treaty.Klamath Termination Act, Public Law 587, 68 Stat. 718 (Aug. 13, 1954), Statutes at Large
our reservation land base of approximately 1.8 million acres was taken by condemnation and the Klamaths were terminated as a TribeHistory, The Klamath Tribes (tribal website)
Federal recognition is hereby extended to the tribe and to members of the tribe.Klamath Indian Tribe Restoration Act, Public Law 99-398, 100 Stat. 849 (Aug. 27, 1986)

Research notes. Reservation acreage differs by source: the Klamath Tribes' history says about 1.8 million acres; the record cites a secondary report of a reduction from 762,000 to 145,000 acres, which was not verified. The Kimball v. Callahan (9th Cir. 1974) holding on surviving hunting and fishing rights was not opened. How much land was sold versus transferred to national forest is not confirmed by an opened source.