The progress of industry in the twentieth century introduced new conflicts for Native Americans, particularly with the development of hydroelectric projects as a source of electric power. Pictured here are three Tuscarora Indians in 1958, protesting plans by the New York State Power Authority to create a reservoir that would flood over one-fifth of their reservation lands. Using both legal channels and open protest, the Indians succeeded; The Federal Power Commission ordered the project stopped. Two years later, however, the Supreme Court reversed the decision, and the reservoir was built. The Picker Sloan Plan in the 1940s and 1950s, which called for the damming of the Missouri River, was an even more dramatic example. Despite Native American protests, this project ultimately flooded most of the arable land in the North and South Dakota reservations.

Note: The photo on this page was found at American Historical Images On File, The Native American Experience. The story was written by Professor Troy Johnson at California State University, Long Beach. Please visit his site as it contains a wealth of information about Native American History.

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