Indian Uprising and Document Heist of 1972: A Historical Account, 1973-01-31

In November 1972, a group of Indian activists occupied and looted the Bureau of Indian Affairs building in Washington, taking documents that revealed mistreatment of Native Americans. Negotiations for the return of the documents were led by Henry Adams, a respected Assiniboine Sioux. Despite his efforts to return the stolen materials, Adams and a journalist were arrested by the FBI in January 1973, accused of theft. The government's actions were seen as an attempt to discredit Adams and suppress the truth about the mistreatment of Native Americans.