Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act

The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act (ANCSA) was signed into law by President Richard Nixon on December 18, 1971, constituting what is still the largest land claims settlement in United States history.[1][2] ANCSA was intended to resolve long-standing issues surrounding aboriginal land claims in Alaska, as well as to stimulate economic development throughout Alaska.[3]

The settlement established Alaska Native claims to the land by transferring titles to twelve Alaska Native regional corporations and over 200 local village corporations.[1] A thirteenth regional corporation was later created for Alaska Natives who no longer resided in Alaska.[1] The act is codified in chapter 33 of title 43 of the US Code.[4]

  1. ^ a b c Thomas, Monica E. "The Alaska Native Claims Settlement Act: Conflict and Controversy". alaskool.org. Polar Record, 23(142): 27-36 (1986). Cambridge University Press. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  2. ^ Kroerner, Claudia. "U.S. To Pay Navajo Nation $554 Million In Largest Tribal Settlement In History". buzzfeed.com. Retrieved 26 November 2014.
  3. ^ "Recognition of aboriginal land rights in Alaska was a sharp departure from American Indian policy in other parts of the US. Observers believe this was more a result of slow economic development within Alaska than rejection of Indian policy," citing Cooley, R.A. 1983. "Evolution of Alaska land policy." in Morehouse, T. A. (editor). Alaskan Resources Development: Issues of the 1980s. Boulder: Westview Press, pp. 13-49.
  4. ^ "43 U.S. Code Chapter 33". Legal Information Institute. Cornell University Law School. Retrieved 27 November 2014.