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This book examines tribally controlled Indian colleges established since the early 1960s and provides perspectives on their educational philosophy, history, and present status. Chapter 1 is an overview of four centuries of abortive efforts by churches and the federal government to provide higher education for American Indians, including profiles of specific missionary schools, factors in the failure of missionary education, the unusual success of Choctaw Academy, features of Carlisle Indian School and other federally funded off-reservation boarding schools, and the effects on Indian higher education of the General Allotment Act of 1887 and termination policies of the 1950s. Chapter 2 discusses the birth of tribally controlled community colleges amidst the social activism of the 1960s, and presents profiles of 19 such institutions. Chapter 3 summarizes and analyzes information on the tribally controlled colleges: student characteristics, enrollments, faculty, administrators, physical facilities, student services, college objectives, external influences, funding, and accreditation. Chapter 4 outlines other higher education opportunities for American Indians and Alaska Natives: federally controlled two-year colleges, special programs for the preparation of Indian professionals, colleges or universities with high Native American enrollments and degrees earned, and Indian Studies programs. Chapter 5 summarizes the history and current status of Indian higher education. This book contains approximately 300 references and an index. (SV)