Voice of the Tribes: A History of the National Tribal Chairmen’s Association. By Thomas A. Britten

Abstract

Thomas Britten seems determined to uncover the small but significant organizations that brought forth the 1970s “Golden Age of Indian Policy.” Following on his excellent history of the National Council of Indian Opportunity, Britten’s current target is the National Tribal Chairmen’s Association (NTCA), an organization that claimed to represent federally recognized tribes but was often overshadowed by the more established National Congress of American Indians or the more brash urban-based militant organizations, such as the American Indian Movement. To secure its spot in this crowded field of Indian advocacy, the NTCA pursued “an insider strategy,” networking with federal policymakers to act “as intermediaries or ‘brokers’ between the government and federally recognized tribes” (p. 14). The plan worked reasonably well, largely because federal officials needed a moderate Indian voice to “vet” potential policies. With NTCA members in the room, the organization shaped important legislation, pushed bureaucratic realignments to streamline tribal demands,...