Frustrated with Federal paternalism and oppression, the Mission Indian tribe in southern California formed a grassroots movement known as the Mission Indian Federation to fight violations of Native American rights and to advocate for tribal sovereignty.

Under the slogan “Human Rights and Home Rule,” the Mission Indian Federation fought to secure rights to tribal lands and resources, compensation for lost ancestral lands, the right to self-government, and the elimination of the Bureau of Indian Affairs. Although unable to achieve all of their goals, the Mission Indian Federation made important strides in the movement towards self-determination and inspired future activism for Native American rights.