This handbook provides an unbiased, in-depth assessment of the struggles, successes, and status of Native Americans in what is now the United States from the time of the first European settlers to the present. Contrary to popular belief, few benefits of their vast gambling enterprises ever make it into the hands of the majority of Native Americans. With a shocking 39.4 percent living below the poverty line and 22 percent going hungry or living on the edge of hunger, Native peoples on reservations are the poorest demographic group in the United States. Native American Issues: A Reference Handbook, Second Edition explores the history, problems, and contemporary issues faced by peoples of Native American heritage. From the Indian Removal Act of 1830 to the "Twenty Points" platform advanced by the American Indian Movement in the 1970s to the massive budget cuts of the 1980s, readers will discover how the well-being of Native Americans has been affected by federal and state policies. Refocusing the first edition's underlying theme of sovereignty to highlight issues related to community, this extensively updated volume addresses the greatest single change in the condition of Native Americans in the last decade-the proliferation of gambling enterprises. Issues such as land claims, use of natural resources, sacred sites, governments, and stereotyping are examined from the perspective of strengthening community.