John Collier (sociologist)

John Collier
33rd Commissioner of Indian Affairs
In office 1933–1945
Preceded by	Charles J. Rhoads
Succeeded by	William A. Brophy
Personal details
Born	(1884-05-04)May 4, 1884 Atlanta, Georgia
Died	May 8, 1968(1968-05-08) (aged 84) Taos, New Mexico
Resting place	El Descanso Cemetery 36°21′15.3642″N 105°36′7.76″W / 36.354267833°N 105.6021556°W / 36.354267833; -105.6021556 (John Collier Burial Site)
Children	John Collier Jr.
Alma mater	Columbia University Collège de France
Occupation	Native American Advocate Public Official Social Reformer Sociology Professor

John Collier (May 4, 1884 – May 8, 1968), a sociologist and writer, was an American social reformer and Native American advocate. He served as Commissioner for the Bureau of Indian Affairs in the President Franklin D. Roosevelt administration, from 1933 to 1945. He was chiefly responsible for the "Indian New Deal", especially the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934, through which he intended to reverse a long-standing policy of cultural assimilation of Native Americans.

During the second World War, in part due to his position in the BIA, Collier also became involved with the incarceration of Japanese Americans at the Poston War Relocation Center and desired greater involvement at the Gila River War Relocation Center.

Collier was instrumental in ending the loss of reservations lands held by Indians, and in enabling many tribal nations to re-institute self-government and preserve their traditional culture. Some Indian tribes rejected what they thought was unwarranted outside interference with their own political systems that the new approach had brought them.^{[citation needed]}