| There are 563 Federally recognized | | | | Americans had been "mongrelized" with |
| tribal governments in the United States. | | | | its African American population. A law |
| The United States recognizes the right | | | | passed by the state's General Assembly |
| of these tribes to self-government and | | | | recognized only two races, "white" and |
| supports their tribal sovereignty and | | | | "colored". Plecker pressured local |
| self-determination. These tribes possess | | | | governments into reclassifying all |
| the right to form their own government, | | | | Native Americans in the state as |
| to enforce laws (both civil and | | | | "colored", leading to the destruction of |
| criminal), to tax, to establish | | | | records on the state's Native American |
| membership, to license and regulate | | | | community. |
| activities, to zone and to exclude | | | | Maryland also has a non-recognized |
| persons from tribal territories. | | | | tribal nation — the Piscataway Indian |
| Limitations on tribal powers of | | | | Nation. |
| self-government include the same | | | | In order to receive federal recognition |
| limitations applicable to states; for | | | | and the benefits it confers, tribes must |
| example, neither tribes nor states have | | | | prove their continuous existence since |
| the power to make war, engage in foreign | | | | 1900. The federal government has so far |
| relations, or coin money. | | | | refused to bend on this bureaucratic |
| According to 2003 United States Census | | | | requirement.[20] A bill currently before |
| Bureau estimates, a little over one | | | | U.S. Congress to ease this requirement |
| third of the 2,786,652 Native Americans | | | | has been favorably reported out of a key |
| in the United States live in three | | | | Senate committee, being supported by |
| states: California at 413,382, Arizona | | | | both of Virginia's senators, George |
| at 294,137 and Oklahoma at 279,559. | | | | Allen and John Warner, but faces |
| As of 2000, the largest tribes in the | | | | opposition in the House from |
| U.S. by population were Navajo, | | | | Representative Virgil Goode, who has |
| Cherokee, Choctaw, Sioux, Chippewa, | | | | expressed concerns that federal |
| Apache, Lumbee, Blackfeet, Iroquois, and | | | | recognition could open the door to |
| Pueblo. In 2000, eight of ten Americans | | | | gambling in the state. |
| with Native American ancestry were of | | | | In the early 21st century, Native |
| mixed blood. It is estimated that by | | | | American communities remain an enduring |
| 2100 that figure will rise to nine of | | | | fixture on the United States landscape, |
| ten.[14] In addition, there are a number | | | | in the American economy, and in the |
| of tribes that are recognized by | | | | lives of Native Americans. Communities |
| individual states, but not by the | | | | have consistently formed governments |
| federal government. The rights and | | | | that administer services like |
| benefits associated with state | | | | firefighting, natural resource |
| recognition vary from state to state. | | | | management, and law enforcement. Most |
| Then there are Tribal Nations that have | | | | Native American communities have |
| been denied recognition such as the | | | | established court systems to adjudicate |
| Muwekma Ohlone and the Miami tribe of | | | | matters related to local ordinances, and |
| Indiana. Many of the smaller eastern | | | | most also look to various forms of moral |
| tribes have been trying to gain official | | | | and social authority vested in |
| recognition of their tribal status. The | | | | traditional affiliations within the |
| recognition confers some benefits, | | | | community. To address the housing needs |
| including the right to label arts and | | | | of Native Americans, Congress passed the |
| crafts as Native American and permission | | | | Native American Housing and Self |
| to apply for grants that are | | | | Determination Act (NAHASDA) in 1996. |
| specifically reserved for Native | | | | This legislation replaced public |
| Americans. But gaining recognition as a | | | | housing, and other 1937 Housing Act |
| tribe is extremely difficult because of | | | | programs directed towards Indian Housing |
| a Catch-22 in the process. To be | | | | Authorities, with a block grant program |
| established as a tribal group, members | | | | directed towards Tribes. |
| have to submit extensive genealogical | | | | Gambling has become a leading industry. |
| proof of tribal descent, yet in past | | | | Casinos operated by many Native American |
| years many Native Americans denied their | | | | governments in the United States are |
| Native American heritage, because it | | | | creating a stream of gambling revenue |
| would have deprived them of many rights, | | | | that some communities are beginning to |
| such as the right of probate. | | | | use as leverage to build diversified |
| Military defeat, cultural pressure, | | | | economies. Native American communities |
| confinement on reservations, forced | | | | have waged and prevailed in legal |
| cultural assimilation, outlawing of | | | | battles to assure recognition of rights |
| native languages and culture, | | | | to self-determination and to use of |
| termination policies of the 1950s and | | | | natural resources. Some of those rights, |
| 1960s and earlier, slavery, and poverty | | | | known as treaty rights are enumerated in |
| have had deleterious effects on Native | | | | early treaties signed with the young |
| Americans' mental and physical health. | | | | United States government. Tribal |
| Contemporary health problems suffered | | | | sovereignty has become a cornerstone of |
| disproportionately include alcoholism, | | | | American jurisprudence, and at least on |
| heart disease, diabetes, and New World | | | | the surface, in national legislative |
| Syndrome. | | | | policies. Although many Native American |
| As recently as the 1970s, the Bureau of | | | | tribes have casinos, they are a source |
| Indian Affairs was still actively | | | | of conflict. Most tribes, especially |
| pursuing a policy of "assimilation", | | | | small ones such as the Winnemem Wintu of |
| dating at least to the Indian | | | | Redding, California, feel that casinos |
| Citizenship Act of 1924. The goal of | | | | and their proceeds destroy culture from |
| assimilation — plainly stated early on | | | | the inside out. These tribes refuse to |
| — was to eliminate the reservations | | | | participate in the gaming industry. |
| and steer Native Americans into | | | | On May 19, 2005, the Massachusetts |
| mainstream U.S. culture. In July 2000 | | | | legislature finally repealed a disused |
| the Washington state GOP adopted a | | | | 330 year-old law that barred Native |
| resolution of "termination" for tribal | | | | Americans from entering Boston. |
| governments. As of 2004, there are still | | | | In August 2005, the National Collegiate |
| claims of theft of Native American land | | | | Athletic Association (NCAA) banned the |
| for the coal and uranium it contains. | | | | use of "hostile and abusive" Native |
| In the state of Virginia, Native | | | | American mascots from postseason |
| Americans face a unique problem. | | | | tournaments. The use of Native American |
| Virginia has no federally recognized | | | | themed team names in U.S. professional |
| tribes, largely due to Walter Ashby | | | | sports is widespread and often |
| Plecker. In 1912, Plecker became the | | | | controversial, with examples such as |
| first registrar of the state's Bureau of | | | | Chief Wahoo of the Cleveland Indians and |
| Vital Statistics, serving until 1946. | | | | the Washington Redskins. |
| Plecker believed that the state's Native | | | | |