Charles H. Burke | |
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| 35thCommissioner of Indian Affairs | |
| In office April 1, 1921 – June 30, 1929 | |
| President | Warren G. Harding Calvin Coolidge |
| Preceded by | Cato Sells |
| Succeeded by | Charles J. Rhoads |
| House Minority Whip | |
| In office March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915 | |
| Leader | James Mann |
| Preceded by | John W. Dwight |
| Succeeded by | Charles M. Hamilton |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromSouth Dakota's2nd district | |
| In office March 4, 1913 – March 3, 1915 | |
| Preceded by | Eben Martin |
| Succeeded by | Royal C. Johnson |
| Member of theU.S. House of Representatives fromSouth Dakota'sat-large district | |
| In office March 4, 1909 – March 3, 1913 | |
| Preceded by | Philo Hall |
| Succeeded by | Charles H. Dillon |
| In office March 4, 1899 – March 3, 1907 | |
| Preceded by | John Edward Kelley |
| Succeeded by | Philo Hall |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Charles Henry Burke (1861-04-01)April 1, 1861 Batavia, New York, U.S. |
| Died | April 7, 1944(1944-04-07) (aged 83) Washington, D.C., U.S. |
| Political party | Republican |
Charles Henry Burke (April 1, 1861 – April 7, 1944) was aRepublicanCongressman fromSouth Dakota andCommissioner of theBureau of Indian Affairs in the 1920s.
He was born nearBatavia, New York, in 1861, and attended the public school there. He moved to theDakota Territory in 1882 and settled on a homestead inBeadle County of what is nowSouth Dakota, moving on toHughes County in 1883.
He studied law and was admitted to the bar in 1886. He also engaged in the real estate investment business in the area ofPierre, South Dakota. He was elected to theSouth Dakota House of Representatives in 1895 and 1897. He ran for theUnited States House of Representatives in 1898, won election, and remained in that position through 1907, losing the nomination for the 1906 election, although he won again in 1908 and remained in the House through 1915, serving asMinority whip from 1913 through 1915. In 1906 he was heavily involved in passing theBurke Act. In 1914, he received the nomination for theUnited States Senate seat from South Dakota and chose not to run for reelection to the House. He lost that Senate race.
He was appointed Commissioner of Indian Affairs in 1921 and served in that capacity until his resignation in 1929. He died in 1944, inWashington, D. C.
In 1934, Congress passed theWheeler-Howard Bill, also known as the Indian Reorganization Act, a significant victory for advocates likeJohn Collier andGertrude Bonnin, who had long battled against exploiters likeAlbert B. Fall and Charles H. Burke. This legislation marked the culmination of a fierce struggle that began in the 1920s, where reformers fought against an unsympathetic Congress and a negligent bureaucracy. Despite facing opposition from figures like Fall and Burke, who prioritized business interests over Native American welfare, the reformers managed to secure some improvements during the 1920s. The momentum of theNew Deal era eventually propelled the passage of the Indian Reorganization Act, granting tribes more autonomy and resources.
During the early 1920s, Secretary of the Interior Albert B. Fall and his ally Charles H. Burke were prominent figures representing the obscurantist faction, prioritizing business interests over Native American rights. Fall, known for his corruption, and Burke, who authored legislation detrimental to Native American citizenship, faced resistance from reformers. Despite their efforts to suppress Native American culture and religion, the reform movement gained traction, eventually leading to legislative victories such as the Indian Reorganization Act. The struggle between reformers and exploiters was shaped by public opinion, influenced by mass media outlets and church publications, with obscurantists resorting to derogatory portrayals of Native American traditions to justify their positions.[1]
The town ofBurke, South Dakota, was named for the congressman.[2]
| Party political offices | ||
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| First | Republican nominee forU.S. Senator fromSouth Dakota (Class 3) 1914 | Succeeded by |
| U.S. House of Representatives | ||
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromSouth Dakota's at-large congressional district 1899–1907 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromSouth Dakota's at-large congressional district 1909–1913 | Succeeded by |
| Preceded by | Member of the U.S. House of Representatives fromSouth Dakota's 2nd congressional district 1913–1915 | Succeeded by |
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| Twoat-large seats (1889–1913) |
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| One at-large seat (1983–present) |
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