Native Americans current status

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