Relocation: from reservations to cities (Denver, Los Angeles and others, 1951–1957)

SUMMARY24. Relocation: from reservations to cities (Denver, Los Angeles and others, 1951–1957) [Connections: Who decided who's Indian, Nov 5, 2026]

RECORDNARA: "In 1951, the BIA established the Branch of Placement and Relocation." Field offices opened first in Denver, Salt Lake City and Los Angeles, later St. Louis, San Francisco, Dallas and Minneapolis. Permanent placements: over 2,600 (FY1953), over 3,400 (FY1955), over 6,900 (FY1957). NARA calls relocation part of termination policy. The Act of 3 Aug. 1956 (Public Law 959, 70 Stat. 986) aimed "to help adult Indians who reside on or near Indian reservations to obtain reasonable and satisfactory employment," primarily ages 18 to 35, with up to 24 months of training

PATTERNRelocated Native families landed in city neighborhoods where the census and schools sorted people by look

LENS (WW9)Move the people off the land, mix them into the city, and the paper does the rest

OPENHow relocated families were recorded racially in city records (and whether many were counted in other categories) needs deep research

SOURCENARA, Urban Relocation Program; Statutes at Large, 70 Stat. 986 (GovInfo PDF).