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Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma
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The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is a semi-autonomous Native American homeland that maintains a special relationship with both the United States and Oklahoma governments, where approximately 250,000 people live in. The chief of the Choctaw Nation is Gregory E. Pyle. The Choctaw Nation Headquarters is located in Durant, Oklahoma, though the historic Council House is in Tuskahoma, Oklahoma; it is now the Choctaw Museum and Judicial Department Court System. The Choctaw Nation is also home to a Native American group of Choctaws known as Oklahoma Choctaws.
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Encyclopedia
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is a semi-autonomous Native American homeland that maintains a special relationship with both the United States and Oklahoma governments, where approximately 250,000 people live in. The chief of the Choctaw Nation is Gregory E. Pyle. The Choctaw Nation Headquarters is located in Durant, Oklahoma, though the historic Council House is in Tuskahoma, Oklahoma; it is now the Choctaw Museum and Judicial Department Court System. The Choctaw Nation is also home to a Native American group of Choctaws known as Oklahoma Choctaws. Choctaws, who were "forcibly removed" to the Indian territory between 1831 and 1838, were organized as the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma. The removals continued until the early 20th century. Ferguson states, "1903 MISS: Three-hundred Mississippi Choctaws were persuaded to remove to the Nation [in Oklahoma]."
The removals became known as the "Trail of Tears."
Geography
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma covers approximately of land, encompassing eight whole counties and most of/portions of five counties in Southeastern Oklahoma; Atoka County, most of Bryan County, Choctaw County, most of Coal County, Haskell County, half of Hughes County, a portion of Johnston County, Latimer County, Le Flore County, McCurtain County, Pittsburg County, a portion of Pontotoc County, and Pushmataha County.
Government
The Tribal Headquarters are located in Durant, Oklahoma, consisting of a complex of three 3-story buildings, and several one-story buildings. The current chief is Gregory E. Pyle and the assistant chief is Gary Batton. The current number of Choctaw memberships is approximately 188,000.
The Tribe is governed by the Choctaw Nation Constitution which was ratified by the people on June 9, 1984. The Constitution provides for an Executive, a Legislative and a Judicial branch of government. The Chief of the Choctaw Tribe, elected every four years, is not a voting member of the Tribal Council. The legislative authority of the Tribe is vested in the Tribal Council, which consists of 12 members.
Tribal Council
Members of the Tribal Council are elected by the Choctaw people. Twelve Council members are elected representing each of the twelve districts in the Choctaw Nation.
Tribal Council Members
- District 1 - Hap Ward
- District 2 - Mike Amos
- District 3 - Kenny Bryant
- District 4 - Delton Cox
- District 5 - Charlotte Jackson
- District 6 - Joe Coley
- District 7 - Jack Austin
- District 8 - Perry Thompson
- District 9 - Ted Dosh
- District 10 - Anthony Dillard
- District 11 - Bob Pate
- District 12 - James Frazier
In order to be elected as a Council member, it is required that the candidates must have resided in their respective districts for at least one year immediately preceding the election. Once elected, a Council member must remain a resident of the district from which he or she was elected during the term in office. This policy ensures the involvement and interaction of successful candidates with their constituency.
Once in office, the Tribal Council Members continue to receive input from the Choctaw citizens through regularly scheduled county council meetings. The presence of these tribal leaders in the Indian community creates a sense of understanding of their community and it's needs. And since the Indian people traditionally look to the tribal representation for guidance and leadership, it is obvious that each council member has a thorough and comprehensive knowledge of his or her district and it's needs.
The Tribal Council is responsible for adopting rules and regulations which govern the Choctaw Nation, for approving all budgets, making decisions concerning the management of tribal property, and all other legislative matters. The Tribal Council Members are the voice and representation of the Choctaw people in the tribal government.
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma believes that responsibility for achieving self-sufficiency rests with the governing body of the Tribe. It is the Tribal Council's responsibility to assist the community in its ability to implement an economic development strategy and to plan, organize, and direct Tribal resources in a comprehensive manner which results in self-sufficiency. The Tribal Council recognizes the need to strengthen the Nation's economy, with primary efforts being focused on the creation of additional job opportunities through promotion and development. By planning and implementing its own programs and building a strong economic base, the Choctaw Nation applies its own fiscal, natural, and human resources to develop self-sufficiency. These efforts can only succeed through strong governance, sound economic development, and positive social development.
Past Chiefs
Before Oklahoma was admitted to the union in 1907, the Choctaw Nation was divided into three districts: Apukshunnubbee, Moshulatubbee, and Pushmataha, each had their own chief from 1834 to 1857. After statehood, these districts were abolished.
Apukshunnubbee District
During Removal
New Territory
- Thomas LeFlore: 1834-1838; 1842-1850
- James Fletcher: 1838-1842
- George W. Harkins: 1850-1857
Moshulatubbee District
During Removal
- Mushulatubbee Amosholi: 1830-1834
New Territory
- Moshulatubbe Amosholi: 1834-1836
- Joseph Kincaid: 1836-1838
- John McKinney: 1838-1842
- Nathaniel Folsom: 1842-1846
- Peter Folsom: 1846-1850
- Cornelius McCurtain: 1850-1854
- David McCoy: 1854-1857
Pushmataha District
During Removal
New Territory
- Nitakechi: 1834-1838
- Pierre Juzan: 1841-1846
- Isaac Folsom: 1841-1846
- Silas Fisher: 1846-1850
- George Folsom: 1850-1854
- David McCoy: 1854-1857
After 1857
- Alfred Wade: 1857-1858
- Tandy Walker: 1858-1859
- Basil LeFlore: 1859-1860
- George Hudson: 1860-1862
- Samuel Garland: 1862-1864
- Peter Pitchlynn: 1864-1866
- Allen Wright: 1866-1870
- William Bryant: 1870-1874
- Coleman Cole: 1874-1878
- Isaac Levi Garvin: 1878-1880
- Jackson F. McCurtain: 1880-1884
- Thompson McKinney: 1884-1888
- Ben Smallwood: 1888-1890
- Wilson N. Jones: 1890-1894
- Jefferson Gardner: 1894-1896
- Green McCurtain: 1896-1900; 1902-1910
- Gilbert Wesley Dukes: 1900-1902
- Victor Locke, Jr.: 1910-1918
- William F. Semple: 1918-1922
- William H. Harrison: 1922-1929
- Ben Dwight: 1929-1937
- William Durant: 1937-1948
- Harry J. W. Belvin: 1948-1975
- Clark David Gardner: 1975-1978
- Hollis E. Roberts: 1978-1997
- Gregory E. Pyle: 1997-Present
Economy
The Choctaw Nation employs about 8,000 people worldwide, 2,000 of those work in Bryan County, Oklahoma; the Choctaw Nation is also Durant's largest single employer. The nation's payroll is about $180 million per year, with total revenues from tribal businesses and governmental entities topping $1 billion.
The nation has contributed to raising Bryan County's per capita income to about $24,000, according to Jerry Tomlinson, executive director of the tribal treasury and human resources, and also mayor of Durant. The Choctaw Nation has helped build water systems and towers, roads and other infrastructure, and has contributed to additional fire stations, EMS units and law enforcement needs that come with economic growth.
The Choctaw Nation operates several types of businesses, in Bryan County and elsewhere: casinos, travel plazas, Blue Ribbon Downs racetrack, a horse racing enterprise that provides satellite-signal access to races across the U.S., a printing operation, a corporate drug testing service, hospice care, a metal fabrication and manufacturiing business that has built parts for missiles and has a contract to build 5,000 trailers for the Marine Corps, a document backup and archiving business, and a management services company that provides staffing at military bases, embassies and other sites, among other enterprises.
Health System
The Choctaw Nation is the first tribe in the world to build their own hospital with their own funding. The Choctaw Nation Health Care Center, located in Talihina, is a health facility with 37 hospital beds for inpatient care and 52 exam rooms. The $22 million hospital is complete with $6 million worth of state-of-the-art equipment and furnishing. It serves 150,000 - 210,000 outpatient visits annually. The hospital also houses the Choctaw Nation Health Services Authority, the hub of the health care services covering the 10 1/2 county area of Southeastern Oklahoma.
The tribe also operates eight Indian Clinics, one each in Atoka, Broken Bow, Durant, Hugo, Idabel, McAlester, Poteau, and Stigler.
2008 Freedom Award
In July 2008, the United States Department of Defense announced the 2008 Secretary of Defense Employer Support Freedom Award recipients, which is the highest recognition given by the U.S. Government to employers for their outstanding support of their employees who serve in the National Guard and Reserve.
Out of 2,199 nominations, the Choctaw Nation was one of only 15 recipients of this year's Freedom Award, which was presented September 18, 2008 in Washington, D.C. The Choctaw Nation is the first Native American tribe to receive this award.
History
Great Irish Famine Aid (1847)
Midway through the Great Irish Famine (1845–1849), a group of Choctaws collected $710 (although many articles say the original amount was $170 after a misprint in Angie Debo's The Rise and Fall of the Choctaw Republic) and sent it to help starving Irish men, women and children. "It had been just 16 years since the Choctaw people had experienced the Trail of Tears, and they had faced starvation… It was an amazing gesture. By today's standards, it might be a million dollars." according to Judy Allen, editor of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma's newspaper, Bishinik, based at the Oklahoma Choctaw tribal headquarters in Durant, Okla. To mark the 150th anniversary, eight Irish people retraced the Trail of Tears.
Territory Transition to Statehood (1900)
By the early twentieth century, the Choctaw had lost much of their sovereignty and tribal rights in preparation for the Indian Territory becoming the state of Oklahoma in 1907. The Dawes Commission registered tribal members in official rolls, and gave out individual land allotments.
Self-determination (1970s)
The Seventies were a crucial and defining decade for the Choctaw. To a large degree, the Choctaw repudiated the Indian activism associated with the Seventies, and sought a local, grassroots solution to reclaim their cultural identity and sovereignty as a nation.
On August 24, just hours before it would become law, Richard Nixon signed a bill repealing the Termination Act of 1959. This close call prompted some Oklahoma Choctaw to spearhead a grassroots movement to change the direction of the tribal government.
In 1971, the Choctaw would hold their first popular election of a chief since Oklahoma entered the Union in 1907. A group calling themselves the Oklahoma City Council of Choctaws, endorsed thirty-one year old David Gardner for chief, in opposition to the current chief, seventy year old Harry Belvin. Gardner campaigned on a platform of greater financial accountability, increased educational benefits, the creation of a tribal newspaper, and increased economic opportunities for the Choctaw people. Amid charges of fraud and rule changes concerning age, Gardner was declared ineligible to run as he did not meet the new minimum age requirement of thirty-five. Belvin was re-elected to a four year term as chief. In 1975, thirty-five year old David Gardner defeated Belvin to become the Choctaw Nation's second popularly elected chief.
1975 also marked the year that the United States Congress passed the landmark Indian Self-Determination and Education Act. This law revolutionized the relationship between Indian Nations and the federal government.
Native American tribes such as the Choctaw now possessed the power to negotiate and contract their own services, as well as the power to determine what services were in the best interest of their own people. Under Gardner's term as chief, a tribal newspaper, Hello Choctaw, was established. Along with the Creek and Cherokee, the Choctaw successfully sued the federal and state government over riverbed rights to the Arkansas River. Discussions began on the issue of drafting and adopting a new constitution for the Choctaw people. A movement began to officially enroll more Choctaws, increase voter participation, and preserve the Choctaw language. In early 1978, David Gardner died of cancer at the age of thirty-seven. Hollis Roberts was elected chief in a special election, serving from 1978-1997.
A new publication, the Bishinik, replaced Hello Choctaw in June 1978. Spirited debates over a proposed constitution divided the people, but in May 1979, a new constitution was adopted by the Choctaw nation. Faced with termination as a sovereign nation in 1970, the Choctaws would emerge a decade later as a tribal government with a constitution, a popularly elected chief, a newspaper, and the prospects of an emerging economy and infrastructure that would serve as the basis for further empowerment and growth. Largely in part to the achievements made during the Seventies, the Choctaw today are a progressive and successful people, facing the twenty-first century with renewed hope and optimism.
See also
Citations
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