What are Mississippi's Native American tribes? Few are recognized

AI-assisted summary

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians is the only federally recognized tribe operating within Mississippi.

Thirteen other federally recognized tribes have historical ties to Mississippi but are now based elsewhere.

The Vancleave Live Oak Choctaw are recognized by the state of Mississippi, but not by the federal government.

In the U.S., there are 574 federally recognized Native American tribes and Alaska Native entities, according to the U.S. Department of the Interior.

While some federally-recognized tribes have ties to Mississippi, only one operates here.

Some states also recognize tribes separately, but that number also is low here.

Here's what we know about Indigenous people with federal and state recognition in Mississippi. See who's working to prot