Kent Carter's research of the Dawes Commission delves into the Commission's organization and its procedures for the allotment of land to Native Americans. It clarifies enrollment and allotment decisions for the thousands of Native Americans who applied for land and explains why almost two-thirds were rejected.

Rich in historical photographs, thoroughly footnoted, and containing actual documents from the Commission's records, this book will provide anyone interested in Native American research with a heightened understanding of the Dawes Commission and the Five Civilized Tribes — Cherokee, Chickasaw, Creek, Choctaw, and Seminole.