Who Are the Choctaw?
The Choctaw are a Native American people, originally from the southeastern United States (present-day Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana), now primarily in Oklahoma (Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma—200,000+ members), Mississippi (Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians—10,000+), and Louisiana. They speak Choctaw, a Muskogean language. One of the "Five Civilized Tribes," the Choctaw developed written constitution, schools, and Christian churches in the early 1800s—adaptations that failed to prevent forced removal. The Choctaw were the first tribe removed via the Trail of Tears (1831-1833), a traumatic march that killed thousands and became synonymous with American injustice toward Native peoples.
Trail of Tears
The Indian Removal Act (1830) authorized forced relocation of southeastern tribes to Indian Territory (Oklahoma). The Choctaw were first removed (1831-1833), forced to march hundreds of miles in winter with inadequate provisions. Thousands died from exposure, disease, and starvation. A Choctaw chief reportedly described it as a "trail of tears and death"—the term applied to all removals. Those who remained in Mississippi faced harassment, lost land rights, and marginalization for over a century. This trauma—separation, death, dispossession—remains central to Choctaw identity and American recognition of historical injustice.
Code Talkers
During World War I, Choctaw soldiers served as "code talkers," using their language to transmit military messages the Germans couldn't decode. This was the first use of Native American languages for military communication, predating the famous Navajo Code Talkers of World War II. Choctaw Code Talkers served in France in 1918, providing crucial tactical communications. In 2008, the Code Talkers Recognition Act honored their contribution. This military service—protecting a nation that had dispossessed them—exemplifies complex Native American relationships with the United States.
Choctaw Nation Today
The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma is one of America's largest and most successful tribal governments. With 200,000+ members and $2+ billion in annual revenue (gaming, manufacturing, healthcare), it provides services rivaling state governments—hospitals, schools, housing, employment. The Nation operates its own judicial system and enterprises. Chief Gary Batton leads an administration employing thousands. This prosperity represents remarkable recovery from removal devastation. The Mississippi Band, smaller and poorer, maintains homeland connections. Language revitalization programs fight Choctaw's endangered status; approximately 10,000 speakers remain.
Contemporary Challenges
Modern Choctaw navigate sovereignty, economic development, and cultural preservation. The Choctaw Nation's economic success creates opportunities but also tensions with Oklahoma state government over jurisdiction and taxation. Blood quantum debates affect membership criteria. Choctaw language, despite programs, faces generational decline. Environmental issues affect traditional lands. Yet cultural practices persist—stickball (the "little brother of war"), stomp dances, basket weaving, and traditional foods. The Choctaw-Irish connection (commemorating Irish famine relief from recently-removed Choctaw) symbolizes solidarity among peoples who've suffered. How Choctaw balance success with tradition shapes their future.
References
- DeRosier, A. H. (1970). The Removal of the Choctaw Indians
- Kidwell, C. S. (1995). Choctaws and Missionaries in Mississippi, 1818-1918
- Lambert, V. (2007). Choctaw Nation: A Story of American Indian Resurgence