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What Does it Mean to be a Federally Recognized Tribe?

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The 1830 Indian Removal Act led to the forced relocation of nearly 50,000 Indigenous people. What happened to the ones that stayed? Since then, some Native American tribes have struggled for federal recognition by the U.S. government. This episode explains the complex process a non-federally recognized Tribe must undergo to gain federal recognition and highlights southern Alabama’s state-recognized MOWA Band of Choctaws’ ongoing fight.

Source: PBS Origins www.youtube.com/@pbsorigins

PBS Origins is the home of history shows from PBS Digital Studios. Subscribe to dive into inclusive, intersectional history content that helps us understand one another more deeply.

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