​​​​​​​HISTORIC TRAUMA AND UNRESOLVED GRIEF
The Indian Removal Act of 1830

The forced removal also caused significant socioeconomic challenges for Native American tribes. The loss of their lands often meant a loss of economic resources, including fertile farmland and natural resources. Today, many tribes continue to face economic disparities and struggle to access quality education, healthcare, and employment opportunities. ​​​​​​​

"Currently, one in three Native Americans live in poverty with a median income of $23,000. Unemployment for Native Americans in 2022 was 11.1 percent, well above the national average. Moreover, the Covid-19 pandemic hit the Native American population hard as poverty, crowded living conditions and lack of access to health care led to mortality rates that were nearly three times as high as other American groups. Life expectancy for Native Americans is 73.7 years compared to the national average of 78.1, although some tribes on reservations have much lower life expectancy as mental illness, drug use, food insecurity and suicide continue to affect far too many Native Americans." (Kryzanek)

The Indian Removal Act and the subsequent relocation of Native American tribes resulted in intergenerational trauma. The trauma experienced by those who were forcibly removed from their homes has been passed down through generations, impacting the mental, emotional, and physical well-being of Native American communities today.

"The Indian Removal Act of 1830 ordered people from the lands they had been living on. This removal by force contributed to the loss of entire tribes, their culture, traditions, and languages. Native American people are faced with daily reminders of these losses, and many still experience grief from this historical trauma. This helps to explain why Native American people have some of the highest rates of poor mental health among U.S. population groups." (CDC)

The Indian Removal Act and subsequent policies challenged the sovereignty of Native American tribes and their rights to self-determination. ​​​​​​​

“It is important to remember that the Native Americans were not granted citizenship until 1924, even though these Indigenous People were the first settlers in the New World. Yet, greed, racism, cruelty and neglect on the part of the United States government and indeed the American people led to second class status for these first Americans. While some small steps have been taken to lift the Native Americans out of abject poverty and second class citizenship, there remains a long and difficult road ahead to correct the neglect and abuse that has affected so many of our Native American brothers and sisters”. (Kryzanek)