In 1990, President George H.W. Bush established November as National American Indian Heritage Month and the name has changed in recent decades. This month we honor the legacy of our country’s indigenous people and celebrate the culture and traditions of American Indians and Alaska Natives.
According to the 2010 U.S. Census, about 5.2 million people in the United States identified as American Indian and Alaska Native.oThere are 63 state-recognized tribes in 11 states—Alabama, Connecticut, Georgia, Louisiana, Maryland, Massachusetts, New York, North Carolina, South Carolina, Vermont and Virginia. State recognition acknowledges the historical and cultural contributions of various tribes.
To learn more interesting facts please see the American Indian and Alaska Native Fun Fact infographic.
Did You Know? Native American Facts
American Indian/ Alaskan Native (AI/AN) refers to persons belonging to the Indigenous tribes of the continental United States (American Indians) and the Indigenous tribes and villages of Alaska (Alaska Natives).
567 Sovereign Tribal Nations
567 sovereign tribal nations (variously called tribes, nations, bands, pueblos, communities, and Native villages) have a formal nation-to-nation relationship with the US government.
These 574 tribal nations are located across 35 states and within the geographic borders of the United States; however, each tribal nation exercises its own sovereignty. Each of the 567 tribal governments is legally defined as a federally recognized tribal nation.
334 American Indian Reservations
There were 334 federal- and state-recognized American Indian reservations in 2010.
Native peoples and governments have inherent rights and a political relationship with the US government that does not derive from race or ethnicity. Tribal members are citizens of three sovereigns: their tribe, the United States, and the state in which they reside. They are also individuals in an international context with the rights afforded to any other individual.
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