During World War II, Native Americans formed an intertribal group they called the National Congress of AmericanIndians (NCAI). They opposed the 1953 laws, including the relocation program, describing them as an attempt tokill off their people. The NCAI as well as other groups that formed later would seek legal means to prevent thetaking of lands and land rights. Some groups were more militant and used the phrase "Red Power" or "NativeAmerican Power."Their efforts did grab the attention of Congress, leading to laws protecting Native Americanrights in education, health care, and child custody rules. The Supreme Court decision Menominee Tribe v. UnitedStates in 1968 ruled that states could not take away Native American rights to hunt and fish on lands theyreceived through past treaty agreements.
