Dawes

Dawes is a surname of English origin that is associated with various historical, political, and cultural subjects. Notable individuals include Charles G. Dawes, an American banker and statesman who served as the 30th Vice President of the United States from 1925 to 1929, and Henry L. Dawes, a Massachusetts senator who helped sponsor the General Allotment Act of 1887, commonly known as the Dawes Act.

Several laws and policies carry the Dawes name. The Dawes Act of 1887 aimed to assimilate Native Americans by dividing communal tribal lands into individual allotments and selling surplus lands to non-Native settlers; it facilitated the loss of tribal land and undermined traditional governance. The Dawes Plan of 1924, named after Charles G. Dawes, restructured Germany’s post–World War I reparations and helped stabilize the German economy during the mid- to late 1920s. The Dawes Rolls are enrollment lists compiled by the Dawes Commission to determine eligibility for allotment under the Dawes Act and to identify members of the tribes affected by the policy.

In contemporary culture, Dawes is also the name of an American indie folk rock band formed in Los Angeles in 2009. The group releases music under the surname as its band name and has received recognition within the early 2010s indie scene.