Research Guides: American Indian Law Research Guide: Research Guides & Bibliographies

Selected Guides & Bibliographies

Research Guides

Online Research Guides By Topic
(National Indian law Library) A growing collection of research guides covering a variety of topics from "Native Peoples -- General Information" to "Water Rights & Indian Land."
Basic Indian Law Research Tips - Part I: Federal Indian Law
By David Selden & Monica Martens, National Indian Law Library. Originally published as an article in Colorado Lawyer, 2005. Last updated in Aug. 2008.
Basic Indian Law Research Tips - Part II: Tribal Law
By David Selden & Monica Martens, National Indian Law Library. Originally published as an article in Colorado Lawyer, 2005. Last updated in Aug. 2012.
Researching American Indian Tribal Law
PDF copy of article by David E. Selden, Law Librarian, National Indian Law Library, published in February 2014 issue of The Colorado Lawyer, Vol. 43, No. 2, pg. 51-54.
Tribal Law Gateway: A Guide to Tribal Law Research
(National Indian Law Library)
Find tribal law materials by tribe name. Also offers guides on how to find tribal: laws (codes & ordinances; constitutions; court opinions; court rules; compacts & agreements; treaties; legal histories.
Indian & Tribal Law Research
Gallagher Law Library, University of Washington School of Law
Indian Law Portal
(Ross-Blakely Law Library, Sandra Day O'Connor College of Law, Arizona State University)
Resources for: American Indian Studies
University of Minnesota Libraries, "Selected Resources" guide series.
Researching American Indians and Alaska Natives
(National Archives and Records Administration)
Indians/Native Americans
(Archives Library Information Center, National Archives and Records Administration) Contains links to American history relating to Native Americans.
Who Owns Native Culture? - The Website
This website was originally designed to complement the book, Who Owns Native Culture?, by Michael F. Brown (Law Library K1401 .B79 2003). The website contains information and links to resources related to understanding the legal status of indigenous art, music, folklore, biological knowledge and sacred sites.

Bibliographies

Reading Indian Law: Evaluating Thirty Years of Indian Law Scholarship, by Grant Christensen & Melissa L. Tatum
Published in 54 Tulsa L. Rev. 81 (Autumn, 2018). A ranking of scholarly Indian law articles published from 1985-2015.

Indigenous Peoples of the Americas: History, Culture & Law (HeinOnline) This link opens in a new window
(HeinOnline, American Indian Law Collection) A substantial collection of scholarly law review articles. Articles may be sorted by article title, author, and most-cited.

Tribal Court Clearinghouse: Indian Law Reviews
This web page has links to over 70 selected law review articles, Indian law journals and other publications.
Indian Treaties: A Bibliography
By Beth DiFelice and published in 107 Law Library Journal 241 (2015). Describes sources for research into treaties between the U.S. government and Indian tribes, focusing on primary sources. The sources are preceded by an overview of the treaty process and the termination of the government's power to enter into treaties with Indian nations.
North American Indian Law: A Basic Bibliography
This bibliography (available as a pdf document) was compiled by Prof. Patrick S. O'Donnell, Santa Barbara City College in 2012.

A Bibliographical Guide to the History of Indian-White Relations in the United States by Francis P. Prucha
Call Number: E93 .P781
ISBN: 0226684768
Publication Date: 1977
Indian-White Relations in the United States by Francis P. Prucha
Call Number: E93 .P781 Supp
ISBN: 0803236654
Publication Date: 1982
A bibliographiy of works published 1975-1980. Supplement to Bibliographical Guide to the History of Indian-White Relations in the United States (above).

Bibliography of Native North Americans This link opens in a new window
Covering all aspects of native North American culture, history, and life with 80,000+ citations for books, essays, journal articles, and government documents of the United States and Canada. This resource covers a wide range of topics including archaeology, multicultural relations, gaming, governance, legend, and literacy. Dates of coverage for included content range from the sixteenth century to the present.

Courts and Indians: Sixty-Five Years of Legal Analysis: Bibliography of Periodical Articles Relating to Native American Law, 1922-1986, by Rory SnowArrow & Judith V. Royster
Published in Legal Reference Services Quarterly, vol. 7, nos. 2-4, Summer/Fall/Winter 1987, page 107. Arranged chronologically and includes a subject index.

Kappler Revisited by Charles D. Bernholz
Call Number: Reference Office KF6201 .A1 B47x 2003
ISBN: 0962958646
Publication Date: 2003
Also available at Wilson Library Government Publication (General Reference) Quarto KF8203 2003.

Minnesota

American Indians, Indian Tribes, and State Government (Research Dept. Minnesota House of Representatives)
"This guidebook discusses major issues involved in the relationship between American Indian Tribes, American Indians, and state government, including criminal and civil jurisdiction, employment, control of natural resources, gaming and liquor regulation, taxation, health and human services, child welfare, education, labor, and civic engagement." (published Feb. 2023)
Resources on Minnesota Issues: Indian Fishing and Hunting Rights
(Minnesota Legislative Reference Library)
This guide is part of a series compiled by the Minnesota Legislative Reference Library's staff on topics of interest to legislators. It provides an introduction to the topic and contains references and links to various resources with an emphasis on items avaiable in the Legislative Reference Library.
Minnesota DNR - Laws & Treaties
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' Laws & Treaties contains the text of the 1837 Treaty with the Chippewa and the 1854 Treaty with the Chippewa. Additional information on the legal history of the 1854 treaty and a link to the 1854 Treaty Authority website are provided. Also, information on Fond du Lac Band spear fishing is provided.
Resources on Minnesota Issues: Gambling
(Minnesota Legislative Reference Library)
Another guide in the Resources on Minnesota Issues series. This guides provides references and links to various statutes, governtment documents and other materials on relating to Native American gaming law in Minnesota.