Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Government Organization
Flag of Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians
Map
EstablishedApril 20, 1945 (Indian Reorganization Act)
Tribal HeadquartersChoctaw, Neshoba County, Mississippi
Communities
Government
 • Tribal ChiefCyrus Ben
Population
 (2021)
 • Total11,100
ReligionsRoman Catholicism, Baptism (denomination), Methodism, Traditional beliefs
Websitewww.choctaw.org

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (Choctaw: Mississippi Chahta) is one of three federally recognized tribes of Choctaw people, and the only one in the state of Mississippi. On April 20, 1945, this tribe was organized under the Indian Reorganization Act of 1934. Their reservation included lands in Neshoba, Leake, Newton, Scott, Jones, Attala, Kemper, and Winston counties. The Mississippi Choctaw regained stewardship of their mother mound, Nanih Waiya mounds and cave in 2008. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw have declared August 18 as a tribal holiday to celebrate their regaining control of the sacred site. The other two Choctaw groups are the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, the third largest tribe in the United States, and the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians, located in Louisiana.