Issues Plaguing Native Americans

1234 Words5 Pages

The paper researches the issues plaguing the Native American communities in today’s America within their reservations, and the improvements that are slowly coming in the last 30 years. This research discovers the impoverished native communities, and high rates of poverty and unemployment. The focus is on the lack of an established education system, and the discrimination that Native Americans are still struggling with, due to the locales of their reservation and perceived culture. Through the passing of the Indian Gaming Regulatory Act (1988), an increasing number of tribes are improving living conditions and are experiencing economic prosperity.

The history of Native Americans in America really begins long before the formation of America, …show more content…

The percentage of American Indians who are in poverty is around 28 percent, and when compared to the national average of 15 percent, the truth is much harsher than when first looked at (U.S. Census Bureau, 2013). Some tribes have unemployment rates as high as 80 percent (Bureau of Labor Statistics, 2012), but why is it that a number of tribes are having such financial struggles? An important factor that contributes to this is the location of the tribes, the Native American tribes did not choose their location or the surrounding area, the location of the tribe land is where the United States government chose to put them. The government was not placing the native reservations in the most fertile, or perfect land, most of these tribe lands are in locales where it is a far distance to reach important resources. Employment is a huge problem in native communities, year-round employment is not very common and the jobless rate are still high. The challenges of employment and economic struggles can be traced back to not only a lack of opportunity, but a history of discrimination as …show more content…

They were moved to land that they’re not accustomed to, and far away from where their ancestors first settled. This land they were given, known as reservations, were mostly placed in rural areas and isolated lands. All these issues have not prevented Native Americans from engaging in their surrounding communities, with the tribes that possess thriving gaming operations, these casinos provide a huge economic opportunity for the community. Employment not only increases for the native people, the community is also employed in these casinos and gives opportunities to many who did not have them before, all the while bringing in massive revenue for the

Open Document