Alaska Native leaders organized politically to demand resolution of land claims.
In response to state land selections and growing development pressure, Alaska Native leaders formed regional advocacy organizations to assert land rights and demand federal action. These efforts reframed land claims as a political issue requiring legislative resolution rather than administrative delay.
This advocacy ensured that ANCSA included Native participation rather than being imposed unilaterally. However, the form of participation — corporate rather than governmental — reflects the constraints of the political environment in which negotiations occurred.