Trail of Broken Treaties

The Trail of Broken Treaties (also known as the Trail of Broken Treaties Caravan and the Pan American Native Quest for Justice ) was a cross-country protest,that was staged in the autumn of 1972 in the United States by American Indian and First Nations organizations. Designed to bring national attention to American Indian issues, such as treaty rights, living standards, and inadequate housing, it brought to the national capital the largest gathering ever of American Indians presenting their hopes.

The eight organizations sponsoring the caravan included the American Indian Movement, the National Indian Brotherhood (a Canadian organization), the Native American Rights Fund, the National Indian Youth Council, the National American Indian Council, the National Council on Indian Work, National Indian Leadership Training, and the American Indian Committee on Alcohol and Drug Abuse. In Minneapolis, AIM headquarters, activists developed a Twenty-Point Position paper to define their demands.

The caravan began on the west coast of North America in October, with protesters traveling by car, bus, and van. It reached the national capital of Washington, D.C. in early November (the week before the day of the presidential election). This was the largest gathering ever in the capital of American Indians wanting to meet with government to discuss their needs and negotiate a new relationship.

The Nixon Administration refused to meet with the protesters to receive the Twenty-Point Position paper. Protesters believed they had been doublecrossed and occupied the Department of Interior headquarters building, where Bureau of Indian Affairs national offices were located. During their occupation, some protesters took out and destroyed records and deeds, burning papers in the building's corridors and lobbies, and vandalizing areas. The stand-off ended after about a week, with presidential aides negotiating with protest leaders. In these talks the federal government made concessions to the protesters, including further treaty negotiations.

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