Fabulous 1900's - 1910's Mission Indian Federation Police Badge #33 by San Diego Maker F.W. Lane

What we have here is just a fabulous, and Extremely Rare, x000D Mission Indian Federation Police Badge, #33, made by San Diego Stamp & Seal x000D manufacturer, F. W. Lane.

 Founded in the 1900's (there is Photographic Evidence of a x000D 1908 Conference of the Organization at the Mission Inn in Riverside, x000D California), The Mission Indian Federation (MIF) was a political organization x000D established by California Indians to fight for Indian rights and freedom from x000D the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). The MIF was not the first Indian rights x000D group in the United States, but it was the first group whose members were x000D primarily from Southern California tribes. Membership included people from both x000D recognized and non-recognized groups, including the Luiseno, Cahuilla, Serrano, x000D Cupeno, Kumeyaay, Tongva, and Acjachemen, as well as some Native groups from as x000D far east as Kentucky. 

The Federation's motto, "Human Rights and Home x000D Rule" was the core of their fight for civil rights and Indian autonomy on x000D the reservations. At the time of the formation of the organization, Native x000D Americans were not citizens of the United States. MIF members argued that it x000D was unjust for native-born Americans to be denied U.S. citizenship rights when x000D immigrants could become citizens after just a few years in this country.  x000D They believed that Indians would never be treated as full citizens as long as x000D the BIA was allowed to oppress and exploit Native people. Specifically, the MIF x000D called for the dissolution of the BIA and its associated subsidiaries, the right x000D for tribes to own their reservation lands, and the right to self-determination x000D enjoyed by all American citizens. 

MIF members asserted their traditional rights to appoint x000D their own political representatives as well as to arrest, try, and sentence x000D offenders on reservation lands, which directly challenged federal x000D authority.  As part of this goal, members elected an all-Indian Executive x000D Council. A chief of police, captains, judges, and deputies were also elected x000D for each reservation. This badge is the from that self-governing action of the x000D organization. 

Although there were at least as many as 33 of these badges x000D in existence at one time, of the few examples I have seen that still exist, x000D this appears to be among the earliest type, using the early Stars logo of the x000D organization, that were actually made in California. And of the 5 I know of, of x000D this type, This is the only one in private hands, the other 4 being in the x000D National Archives in Riverside California. 

A possibly unique addition to a native American Law Enforcement x000D Badge Collection. 

1900's - 1910's.

Approximately 2-5/8" in height x 2-1/4" in width.

Nickel-plated brass with painted lettering.

Vertical safety-style pin.

F. W. LANE

This is from a police and law enforcement collection which we will be listing more of over the next few months. MHBHM23 LCEGEX02/17/23 SCEGEX02/21/23

7+ (Very Fine+): The badge shows minor to moderate wear, with duty worn nice patina.

As with all my artifacts, this piece is guaranteed to be original, as described.