The incident began with a group of AIM protesters traveling to the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) offices at the national headquarters building, intending to negotiate for better housing on reservations and other related issues.
But after interpreting a government refusal of their demands as a double cross,[2] the protesters began the siege, occupying the building.
[4] And with the loss of the documents, the Washington Post claimed that the destruction and theft of records could set the Bureau of Indian Affairs back 50 to 100 years.
[5] Then President Richard M. Nixon had an interest in promoting tribal sovereignty, as having ended the termination of tribes that was part of 1950s policy.
Understanding the law was essential to bringing the claims of Indian tribes and the urban populations forward to policy makers and the courts.
As Richard M. Nixon celebrated a landslide presidential victory on November 7 as AIM’s 'Twenty Points' position paper was presented to him.
According to the Washington Post, during the occupation, Native Americans spent days in the building going through—and taking—files that raised questions about unfair deals on land, water, fishing and mineral rights.
When the AIM Protestors left the Interior building on November 8, the White House had agreed to discuss all 20 points except amnesty, which was to be addressed separately.
From which an "interagency task force" was created, to be co-chaired by representatives of the White House and to include dozens of Indian organizations.