The Chickasaw Nation (

Chickasaw The Chickasaw ( ) are an indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands. Their traditional territory was in the Southeastern United States of Mississippi, Alabama, and Tennessee as well in southwestern Kentucky. Their language is classified as ...

: Chikashsha I̠yaakni) is a

federally recognized This is a list of federally recognized tribes in the contiguous United States of America. There are also federally recognized Alaska Native tribes. , 574 Indian tribes were legally recognized by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) of the United ...

Native American tribe In the United States, an American Indian tribe, Native American tribe, Alaska Native village, tribal nation, or similar concept is any extant or historical clan, tribe, band, nation, or other group or community of Native Americans in the Unit ...

, with its headquarters located in

Ada, Oklahoma Ada is a city in and the county seat of Pontotoc County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 16,481 at the 2020 United States Census. The city was named for Ada Reed, the daughter of an early settler, and was incorporated in 1901. Ada is ...

in the United States. They are an

Indigenous people of the Southeastern Woodlands Indigenous peoples of the Southeastern Woodlands, Southeastern cultures, or Southeast Indians are an ethnographic classification for Native Americans who have traditionally inhabited the area now part of the Southeastern United States and the nor ...

, originally from northern

Mississippi Mississippi () is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States, bordered to the north by Tennessee; to the east by Alabama; to the south by the Gulf of Mexico; to the southwest by Louisiana; and to the northwest by Arkansas. Miss ...

, northernwestern

Alabama (We dare defend our rights) , anthem = "Alabama (state song), Alabama" , image_map = Alabama in United States.svg , seat = Montgomery, Alabama, Montgomery , LargestCity = Huntsville, Alabama, Huntsville , LargestCounty = Baldwin County, Al ...

, southwestern

Kentucky Kentucky ( , ), officially the Commonwealth of Kentucky, is a state in the Southeastern region of the United States and one of the states of the Upper South. It borders Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio to the north; West Virginia and Virginia to ...

, and western

Tennessee Tennessee ( , ), officially the State of Tennessee, is a landlocked state in the Southeastern region of the United States. Tennessee is the 36th-largest by area and the 15th-most populous of the 50 states. It is bordered by Kentucky to th ...

. Today, the Chickasaw Nation is the 13th largest tribe in the United States. Currently, the nation's jurisdictional territory and reservation includes about 7,648 square miles of south-central Oklahoma, including Bryan, Carter, Coal, Garvin, Grady, Jefferson, Johnston, Love, McClain, Marshall, Murray, Pontotoc, and Stephens counties. These counties are separated into four districts, the Pontotoc, Pickens, Tishomingo, and Panola, with relatively equal populations. Their population today is estimated to be 38,000, with the majority residing in the state of Oklahoma. In the 17th and 18th centuries, European Americans considered the

as one of the historic

Five Civilized Tribes The term Five Civilized Tribes was applied by European Americans in the colonial and early federal period in the history of the United States to the five major Native American nations in the Southeast—the Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Creek ...

, along with the Cherokee, Choctaw, Muscogee, and Seminole nations, due their agrarian culture and later adoption of centralized governments with written constitutions, intermarriages with the white settlers, literacy, Christianity, market participation, and slave holding. The Chickasaw language, Chikashshanompa’, belongs to the Muskogean language family. This is primarily an oral language, with no historic written component. A significant part of their culture is passed on to each generation through their

oral history Oral history is the collection and study of historical information about individuals, families, important events, or everyday life using audiotapes, videotapes, or transcriptions of planned interviews. These interviews are conducted with people wh ...

, consisting of intergenerational stories that speak to the tribe’s legacy and close relationship with the

Choctaw The Choctaw (in the Choctaw language, Chahta) are a Native American people originally based in the Southeastern Woodlands, in what is now Alabama and Mississippi. Their Choctaw language is a Western Muskogean language. Today, Choctaw people are ...

. The similarities in the language of the Chickasaw and the Choctaw have prompted anthropologists to propose a number of theories regarding the origins of the Chickasaw Nation as it continues to remain uncertain.Atkinson, James R. Splendid Land, Splendid People: the Chickasaw Indians to Removal. Univ. of Alabama Press, 2004. Clans within the Chickasaw Nation are separated into two moieties: the Impsaktea and the Intcutwalipa, with each clan having their own leaders. Their tradition of matrilineal descent provides the basic societal structure of the nation, with children becoming members and under the care of their mother’s clan.

History

Origins

Mississippian culture The Mississippian culture was a Native Americans in the United States, Native American civilization that flourished in what is now the Midwestern United States, Midwestern, Eastern United States, Eastern, and Southeastern United States from appr ...

s developed between around 800 CE along the

Mississippi River The Mississippi River is the second-longest river and chief river of the second-largest drainage system in North America, second only to the Hudson Bay drainage system. From its traditional source of Lake Itasca in northern Minnesota, it f ...

and across the Eastern Woodlands with some regional variations. This was a period of increasing sociopolitical complexity, with the intensification of agriculture, settlements in larger towns or

chiefdom A chiefdom is a form of hierarchical political organization in non-industrial societies usually based on kinship, and in which formal leadership is monopolized by the legitimate senior members of select families or 'houses'. These elites form a ...

s, as well as the formation of strategic alliances to facilitate communication. There is evidence of the organization of labor from the mounds built that remain today, as well as the skills of artisans and craftmanship from the elaborate and intricate remains of burials. Furthermore, as chiefdoms arose within the Chickasaw Nation in addition to across the Southeast, the increased social complexity and population growth were sustained by effective and widespread farming practices. While the origins of the Chickasaw continue to remain uncertain, there have been a number of proposed theories by anthropologists and historians. One theory is that the Chickasaw were at one time a part of the Choctaw and later branched off, given their close connections linguistically and geographically.Gibson, Arrell M. “Chickasaw Ethnography: An Ethnohistorical Reconstruction.” Ethnohistory, vol. 18, no. 2, 1971, p. 99., doi:10.2307/481307. Another is that they were descendants of the pre-historic Mississippian tribes, having migrated from the West given their oral histories. According to some of their oral stories, the Chickasaw first settled in the Chickasaw Old Fields, what is currently northern Alabama today, and later re-established themselves near the Tombigbee River.

European Contact 16th-17th century

Hernando de Soto Hernando de Soto (; ; 1500 – 21 May, 1542) was a Spanish explorer and '' conquistador'' who was involved in expeditions in Nicaragua and the Yucatan Peninsula. He played an important role in Francisco Pizarro's conquest of the Inca Empire ...

is credited as being the first European to contact the Chickasaw during his travels of 1540, and along with his army, were some of the first, and last, European explorers to come into contact with the Mississippian cultures and nations of the Southeast. He learned they were an agrarian nation with the political organization of a chiefdom governmental system, with the head chief residing in the largest and main temple mound in the chiefdom, with the remaining family lineage and commoners spreading out across the villages. After an uneasy truce regarding letting the Spanish stay in their camps for the winter and surviving on the tribe's food supply, the Chickasaws planned a surprise night attack on Desoto and his men as they were in preparation to leave months later. Thus they successfully sent a defiant message to their European enemies not to return to their land. As a result, 150 years passed before the Chickasaw received another European expedition. The next encounter the Chickasaw Nation had with European settlers was with French explorers René-Robert de La Salle and

Henri de Tonti Henri de Tonti (''né'' Enrico Tonti; – September 1704), also spelled Henri de Tonty, was an Italian-born French military officer, explorer, and ''voyageur'' who assisted René-Robert Cavelier, Sieur de La Salle, with North American explora ...

. Not long after, by the end of the 17th century, the Chickasaw Nation had established successful trade relationships with European settlers in the

American Southwest The Southwestern United States, also known as the American Southwest or simply the Southwest, is a geographic and cultural region of the United States that generally includes Arizona, New Mexico, and adjacent portions of California, Colorado, N ...

. In exchange for hides and slaves, the Chickasaw obtained metal tools, guns, and other supplies from the settlers. The Chickasaw had a smaller population, of around 3,500-4,000 people, in comparison to their surrounding neighbors such as the Choctaw, with a population of about 20,000. However, there became increased efforts by the English and the French to establish and maintain strong alliances with the Chickasaw Nation as the struggles for power in the area relied primarily upon the allying of not only the Chickasaw, but the surrounding sovereign tribes in the region as well. Their effective trade routes later became the focal point of the wars fought between Great Britain and France. During the colonial period, some Chickasaw towns traded with French colonists from La Louisiane, including their settlements at

Biloxi Biloxi ( ; ) is a city in and one of two county seats of Harrison County, Mississippi, United States (the other being the adjacent city of Gulfport). The 2010 United States Census recorded the population as 44,054 and in 2019 the estimated popu ...

, or

Mobile Mobile may refer to: Places * Mobile, Alabama, a U.S. port city * Mobile County, Alabama * Mobile, Arizona, a small town near Phoenix, U.S. * Mobile, Newfoundland and Labrador Arts, entertainment, and media Music Groups and labels * Mobile ( ...

18th-19th century

After the

American Revolutionary War The American Revolutionary War (April 19, 1775 – September 3, 1783), also known as the Revolutionary War or American War of Independence, was a major war of the American Revolution. Widely considered as the war that secured the independence of t ...

, the new state of Georgia was trying to strengthen its claim to western lands, which it said went to the Mississippi River under its colonial charter. It also wanted to satisfy a great demand by planters for land to develop, and the state government, including the governor, made deals to favor political insiders. Various development companies formed to speculate in land sales. After a scandal in the late 1780s, another developed in the 1790s. In what was referred to as the

Yazoo land scandal The Yazoo land scandal, Yazoo fraud, Yazoo land fraud, or Yazoo land controversy was a massive real-estate fraud perpetrated, in the mid-1790s, by Georgia governor George Mathews and the Georgia General Assembly. Georgia politicians sold large ...

of January 1795, the state of Georgia sold 22 million acres of its western lands to four land companies, although this territory was occupied by the Chickasaw and other tribes, and there were other European nations with some sovereignty in the area. This was the second Yazoo land sale, which generated outrage when the details were publicized. Reformers passed a state law forcing the annulment of this sale in February 1796. But the Georgia-Mississippi Company had already sold part of its holdings to the New England Mississippi Company, and it had sold portions to settlers. Conflicts arose as settlers tried to claim and develop these lands. Georgia finally ceded its claim to the US in 1810, but the issues took nearly another decade to resolve.

Abraham Bishop Abraham Bishop (1763–1844) was an American farmer and economic populist. He was a vocal supporter of Thomas Jefferson and was known for his family's Federalist affiliation. Biography Education and career Bishop's parents were Samuel and Me ...

New Haven, Connecticut New Haven is a city in the U.S. state of Connecticut. It is located on New Haven Harbor on the northern shore of Long Island Sound in New Haven County, Connecticut and is part of the New York City metropolitan area. With a population of 134,02 ...

, wrote a 1797 pamphlet to address the land speculation initiated by the Georgia-Mississippi Company. Within this discussion, he wrote about the Chickasaw and their territory in what became Mississippi:

James Adair James Adair may refer to: * James Makittrick Adair (1728–1802), Scottish doctor practising in Antigua *James Adair (historian) (1709–1783), Irish historian of the American Indians * James Adair (serjeant-at-law) (c. 1743–1798), English Whig M ...

, who in 1744 resided among the Chickasaw, named their principal towns as being Shatara, Chookheereso, Hykehah, Tuskawillao, and Phalacheho. The Chickasaw sold a section of their lands with the

Treaty of Tuscaloosa The Treaty of Tuscaloosa was signed in October 1818, and ratified by congress in January 1819. endorsed by President James Monroe. It was one of a series of treaties made between the Chickasaw Indians and the United States that year. The Treaty ...

, resulting in the loss of what became known as the

Jackson Purchase The Jackson Purchase, also known as the Purchase Region or simply the Purchase, is a region in the U.S. state of Kentucky bounded by the Mississippi River to the west, the Ohio River to the north, and the Tennessee River to the east. Jackson's ...

, in 1818. This area included

western Kentucky Western Kentucky is the western portion of the U.S. state of Kentucky. It generally includes part or all of several more widely recognized regions of the state. ;Always included * The Jackson Purchase, the state's westernmost generally recogniz ...

and

western Tennessee West Tennessee is one of the three Grand Divisions of the U.S. state of Tennessee that roughly comprises the western quarter of the state. The region includes 21 counties between the Tennessee and Mississippi rivers, delineated by state law. Its g ...

, both areas not heavily populated by members of the tribe. They remained in their primary homeland of northern Mississippi and northwest Alabama until the 1830s. After decades of increasing pressure by federal and state governments to cede their land, as European Americans were eager to move into their territory and had already begun to do so as squatters or under fraudulent land sales, the Chickasaw finally agreed to cede their remaining Mississippi Homeland to the U.S. under the

Treaty of Pontotoc Creek The Treaty of Pontotoc Creek was a treaty signed on October 20, 1832 by representatives of the United States and the Chiefs of the Chickasaw Nation assembled at the National Council House on Pontotoc Creek in Pontotoc, Mississippi. The treaty cede ...

and relocate west of the Mississippi River to

Indian Territory The Indian Territory and the Indian Territories are terms that generally described an evolving land area set aside by the Federal government of the United States, United States Government for the relocation of Native Americans in the United St ...

The Chickasaw removal is one of the most traumatic episodes in the history of the nation. As a result of the

Indian Removal Act of 1830 The Indian Removal Act was signed into law on May 28, 1830, by United States President Andrew Jackson. The law, as described by Congress, provided "for an exchange of lands with the Indians residing in any of the states or territories, and for ...

, the Chickasaw Nation was forced to move to Indian territory, suffering a significant decline in population. However, due to the negotiating skills of the Chickasaw leaders, they were led to favorable sales of their land in Mississippi. Of the Five Civilized Tribes, the Chickasaw were one of the last ones to move. In 1837, the Chickasaw and Choctaw signed the Treaty of Doaksville, by which the Chickasaw purchased the western lands of the

Choctaw Nation The Choctaw Nation ( Choctaw: ''Chahta Okla'') is a Native American territory covering about , occupying portions of southeastern Oklahoma in the United States. The Choctaw Nation is the third-largest federally recognized tribe in the United ...

in Indian Territory. Their area in the western area of the nation was called the Chickasaw District. It consisted of what are now Panola, Wichita, Caddo, and Perry counties. Although originally the western boundary of the Choctaw Nation extended to the 100th meridian, virtually no Chickasaw lived west of the

Cross Timbers The term Cross Timbers, also known as Ecoregion 29, Central Oklahoma/Texas Plains, is used to describe a strip of land in the United States that runs from southeastern Kansas across Central Oklahoma to Central Texas. Made up of a mix of prairie ...

, due to continual raiding by the

Plains Indians Plains Indians or Indigenous peoples of the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies are the Native American tribes and First Nation band governments who have historically lived on the Interior Plains (the Great Plains and Canadian Prairies) of N ...

of the southern region. The United States eventually leased the area between the 100th and 98th meridians for the use of the Plains tribes. The area was referred to as the "Leased District". The division of the Choctaw Nation was ratified by the Choctaw–Chickasaw Treaty of 1854. The Chickasaw constitution, establishing the nation as separate from the Choctaw, was signed August 30, 1856, in their new capital of Tishomingo (now

Tishomingo, Oklahoma Tishomingo is the largest city in, and the county seat of, Johnston County, Oklahoma, United States. The population was 3,034 at the 2010 census, a decline of 4.1 percent from the figure of 3,162 in 2000. It was the first capital of the Chick ...

). The first Chickasaw governor was

Cyrus Harris Cyrus H. Harris (August 22, 1817 – January 6, 1888), a mixed-blood Chickasaw born in Mississippi, was elected the first Governor of the Chickasaw Nation, and served five non-consecutive two-year terms. Although his formal schooling was limited a ...

. The nation consisted of four divisions; Tishomingo County, Pontotoc County, Pickens County, and Panola County. Law enforcement in the nation was provided by the Chickasaw Lighthorsemen. Non-Indians fell under the jurisdiction of the Federal court at Fort Smith. Following the

Civil War A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country). The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...

, the United States forced the Chickasaw Nation into a new peace treaty due to their support for the Confederacy. Under the new treaty, the Chickasaw (and Choctaw) ceded the "Leased District" to the United States.

20th century to present

In 1907, when Oklahoma entered the union as the 46th state, the role of tribal governments in Indian Territories ceased, and as a result, the Chickasaw people were then granted United States citizenship. For decades, the United States appointed representatives for the Chickasaw Nation until 1971.

Douglas H. Johnston Douglas Hancock Cooper Johnston (October 16, 1856 – June 28, 1939, Chickasaw), also known as "Douglas Henry Johnston", was a tribal leader who served as the last elected governor of the Chickasaw Nation from 1898 to 1902. He was re-elected in 19 ...

was the first man to serve in this capacity. Governor Johnston served the Chickasaw Nation from 1906 until his death in 1939 at age 83. Though it may have seemed like the federal government finally achieved their goal of completely assimilating the Chickasaw Nation into mainstream American life, the Chickasaw people continued to practice traditional activities and gather together socially, believing that the community involvement would sustain their culture, language, and core beliefs and values. This gave rise to the movement towards which the Chickasaw would govern themselves. During the 1960s and the period of the

civil rights movement The civil rights movement was a nonviolent social and political movement and campaign from 1954 to 1968 in the United States to abolish legalized institutional Racial segregation in the United States, racial segregation, Racial discrimination ...

, Native American Indian activism was also on the rise. A group of Chickasaw met at Seeley Chapel, a small country church near Connerville, Oklahoma, to work toward the re-establishment of its government. With the passage of Public Law 91-495, their tribal government was recognized by the United States. In 1971, the people held their first tribal election since 1904. They elected Overton James by a landslide as governor of the Chickasaw Nation. Thus, the Chickasaw communities became even closer in support of one another for the greater good of the Chickasaw peoples. Since the 1980s, the tribal government has focused on building an economically diverse base to generate funds that will support programs and services to Indian people.

Culture

Language

Chikashshanompa’, a traditionally oral language, is the primary and official language of the Chickasaw Nation. Over 3,000 years old, Chikashshanompa’ is part of the Muskogean language family and is very similar to the Choctaw language. There has been a great decline over the years in the number of speakers, as the language is spoken by less than two hundred people today, with the majority being Chickasaw elders. The Chickasaw language was often discouraged in students attending school and was often discouraged in even tribally run schools. Recently, the Chickasaw Nation of Oklahoma has promoted the Chickasaw Language Revitalization Program enacted in 2007. The program focuses on the Master Apprentice Program, which pairs a language-learning student with an individual already fluent in Chikashshanompa’ in attempts to gain conversational fluency. Other attempts at language revitalization have included establishing university language courses, creating a language learning app, youth language clubs, and more.

Religion and cultural practice

At the core of Chickasaw religious beliefs and traditions is the supreme deity Aba' Binni'li' (Sitting or Dwelling Above), the spirit of fire and giver of life, light, and warmth. Aba' Binni'li' is believed to live above the clouds along with a number of other lesser deities such as the spirits of the sky, clouds, evil spirits, and more. The Chickasaw Nation follows the traditional monogamous marriage system, with the groom obtaining the blessings of the wife’s parents and following with a simple ceremony soon after. Marriage ceremonies were all arranged by women. Adultery is a misdemeanor seriously looked down upon with severe private as well as public consequences since this was thought to bring shame and dishonor to the families. As the Chickasaws practice matrilineal descent, children usually follow their mother’s house/clan name. The

Green Corn Festival The Green Corn Ceremony (Busk) is an annual ceremony practiced among various Native American peoples associated with the beginning of the yearly corn harvest. Busk is a term given to the ceremony by white traders, the word being a corruption of t ...

is one of the largest and most important ceremonies of the Chickasaw Nation. The festival is an important religious ceremony that takes place in the latter of summer, lasting two to eight days serving as a religious renewal in addition to thanksgiving, as all members of the tribe give thanks for the year’s corn harvest and pray to Aba' Binni'li'. Major events held during the celebration includes a two-day fast, a purification ceremony, the forgiveness of minor sins, the

Stomp Dance The stomp dance is performed by various Eastern Woodland tribes and Native American communities in the United States, including the Muscogee, Yuchi, Cherokee, Chickasaw, Choctaw, Delaware, Miami, Caddo, Tuscarora, Ottawa, Quapaw, Peoria, Shaw ...

(the most well-known traditional dances of the Chickasaw), major ball games, and more.

Government and politics

The Chickasaw Nation is headquartered in

. Their tribal jurisdictional area is in Bryan,

Carter Carter(s), or Carter's, Tha Carter, or The Carter(s), may refer to: Geography United States * Carter, Arkansas, an unincorporated community * Carter, Mississippi, an unincorporated community * Carter, Montana, a census-designated place * Carter, ...

Coal Coal is a combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock, formed as rock strata called coal seams. Coal is mostly carbon with variable amounts of other elements, chiefly hydrogen, sulfur, oxygen, and nitrogen. Coal is formed when dea ...

Garvin Garvin is both a surname and a given name of Irish origin. Notable people with the name include: Surname: * Alexander Garvin, noted American urban planner, educator, and author *Anita Garvin (1906–1994), American actress * Clifton C. Garvin (19 ...

, Grady,

Jefferson Jefferson may refer to: Names * Jefferson (surname) * Jefferson (given name) People * Thomas Jefferson (1743–1826), third president of the United States * Jefferson (footballer, born 1970), full name Jefferson Tomaz de Souza, Brazilian foo ...

, Johnston,

Love Love encompasses a range of strong and positive emotional and mental states, from the most sublime virtue or good habit, the deepest Interpersonal relationship, interpersonal affection, to the simplest pleasure. An example of this range of ...

, McClain,

Marshall Marshall may refer to: Places Australia * Marshall, Victoria, a suburb of Geelong, Victoria Canada * Marshall, Saskatchewan * The Marshall, a mountain in British Columbia Liberia * Marshall, Liberia Marshall Islands * Marshall Islands, an i ...

Murray Murray may refer to: Businesses * Murray (bicycle company), an American manufacturer of low-cost bicycles * Murrays, an Australian bus company * Murray International Trust, a Scottish investment trust * D. & W. Murray Limited, an Australian who ...

, Pontotoc, and

Stephens Stephens is a surname. It is a patronymic and is recorded in England from 1086. Notable people with the surname include: *Alexander H. Stephens (1812–1883), Vice President of the Confederate States of America *Alison Stephens (1970–2010), Brit ...

counties in Oklahoma. The tribal governor is

Bill Anoatubby Bill Anoatubby (born November 8, 1945) is the Governor of the Chickasaw Nation, a position he has held since 1987. From 1979 to 1987, Anoatubby served two terms as Lieutenant Governor of the Chickasaw Nation in the administration of Governor Overt ...

. Bill Anoatubby was elected governor in 1987, and at the time, the tribe had a larger spending budget than funds available. Anoatubby's effective management gradually led the tribe toward progress, as tribal operations and funding have increased exponentially. Governor Anoatubby also lists some of his primary goals as meeting the needs and desires of the Chickasaw people by providing opportunities for employment, higher education, as well as health care services. The Chickasaw Nation’s current three-department system of government was established with the ratification of the 1983 Chickasaw Nation Constitution. The tribal government takes the form of a democratic republic. The governor and the lieutenant governor are elected to serve four-year terms and run for political office together. The Chickasaw government also has an executive branch, legislative branch, and judicial department. In addition to electing a governor along with a lieutenant governor, voters also select thirteen members to make up the tribal legislature (with three-year terms), and three justices to make up the tribal supreme court. The elected officials provided for in the Constitution believe in a unified commitment, whereby government policy serves the common good of all Chickasaw citizens. This common good extends to future generations as well as today’s citizens. The structure of the current government encourages and supports infrastructure for strong business ventures and an advanced tribal economy. The use of new technologies and dynamic business strategies in a global market are also encouraged. Monies generated in business are divided between investments for further diversification of enterprises and support of tribal government operations, programs, and services for Indian people.Farley, Tim. “Leading to Success: Governor Anoatubby Shows the Chickasaw Nation New Heights.” IonOKlahoma Online, www.ionok.com/oklahoma-magazine/cover/leading-success-governor-anoatubby-shows-chickasaw-nation-new-heights/. This unique system is key to the Chickasaw Nation’s efforts to pursue self-sufficiency and self-determination, ensuring the continuous enrichment and support of Indian lives. Revenues generated by Chickasaw Nation tribal business endeavors fund more than 200 programs and services. These programs cover education, health care, youth, aging, housing and more, all of which directly benefit Chickasaw families, Oklahomans and their communities.“Businesses.” Chickasaw Nation, chickasaw.net/Our-Nation/Economic-Development/Businesses.aspx. Governor Bill Anoatubby appointed

Charles W. Blackwell Charles W. Blackwell (July 30, 1942 – January 2, 2013, Chickasaw Nation) was an American lawyer, educator, activist, and diplomat, who served as the first Ambassador of the Chickasaw Nation to the United States of America, from 1995 until his ...

as the Chickasaw Nation's first Ambassador to the United States in 1995. (Blackwell had previously served as the Chickasaw delegate to the United States from 1990 to 1995). At the time of his appointment in 1995, Blackwell became the first Native American tribal ambassador to the United States government. Blackwell served in Washington as ambassador from 1995 until his death on January 3, 2013. Governor Bill Anoatubby named

Neal McCaleb Neal A. "Chief" McCaleb (born 1935) is an Americans, American civil engineer and Republican Party (United States), Republican politician from Oklahoma. A member of the Chickasaw Nation, McCaleb served in several positions in the Government of Ok ...

ambassador-at-large in 2013, a role similar to that of the late Charles Blackwell.

Economy

The Chickasaw Nation operates more than 100 diversified businesses in a variety of services and industries, including manufacturing, energy, health care, media, technology, hospitality, retail and tourism. Among these are

Bedré Fine Chocolate Bedré Fine Chocolate is a chocolatier located in Davis, Oklahoma. Founded in the 1980s by local businessman Pete Cantrell, the company was first housed in the former Homer Elementary School near Ada, Oklahoma. The name Bedré is derived from the ...

Davis Davis may refer to: Places Antarctica * Mount Davis (Antarctica) * Davis Island (Palmer Archipelago) * Davis Valley, Queen Elizabeth Land Canada * Davis, Saskatchewan, an unincorporated community * Davis Strait, between Nunavut and Gre ...

, Lazer Zone Family Fun Center and the McSwain Theatre in Ada;

The Artesian Hotel The Artesian Hotel, Casino and Spa is a hotel in Sulphur, Oklahoma. Amenities include a casino, swimming pool, fitness center, and spa. History The original hotel was built in 1906 using bricks from the Bland Hotel and decorated with furnitur ...

in Sulphur; Chickasaw Nation Industries in Norman, Oklahoma; Global Gaming Solutions, LLC;

KADA (AM) KADA (1230 AM, "Pirate Radio 102.3") is a radio station broadcasting a modern rock format. Licensed to Ada, Oklahoma, United States, the station (and its sister stations, KADA-FM 99.3, KYKC 100.1, KCNP 89.5, KXFC 105.5, and KTLS 106.5) are owned ...

KADA-FM KADA-FM (99.3 FM, "Cool 99.3") is a radio station licensed to serve Ada, Oklahoma, US. The station, established in 1980, is currently owned by the Chickasaw Nation. KADA-FM broadcasts an adult contemporary music format. History This station re ...

KCNP KCNP (89.5 FM) is a radio station licensed to Ada, Oklahoma, United States. The station is currently owned by the Chickasaw Nation. The Chickasaw Nation owns three additional transmitters that simulcast KCNP – KAZC 89.3 in Dickson, KTNG 97. ...

, KTLS, KXFC, and KYKC radio stations in Ada; and Treasure Valley Inn and Suites in

. In 1987, with funding from the US federal government, the Chickasaw Nation operated just over thirty programs in hopes of eventually reaching the state of being in a firm financial base. Today, the nation has more than two hundred tribally funded programs as well as more than sixty federally funded programs providing services from housing, education, entertainment, employment, healthcare, and more. Governor Anoatubby highly prioritizes the services available to the Chickasaw people. Two health clinics (in Tishomingo and Ardmore), as well as the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center, was established in Ada, Oklahoma in 1987. Not long after, many more health clinics and facilities have opened as well, with even a convenient housing facility on the campus of the Chickasaw Nation Medical Center designed to relieve families and patients of travel and lodging costs if traveling far from home. Increases in higher education funding and scholarships have enabled many students to pursue higher education, with funding increasing from $200,000 thirty years ago to students receiving more than $15.6 million in scholarships, grants, and other educational support. The Chickasaw Nation is also contributing heavily to the tourism industry in Oklahoma. In 2010, the Chickasaw Cultural Center opened, attracting more than 200,000 visitors from around the world as well as providing hundreds of employment opportunities to local residents. In this year alone, the Chickasaw Nation also opened a Welcome Center, Artesian Hotel, Chickasaw Travel Shop, Chickasaw Conference Center and Retreat, Bedré Fine Chocolate Factory, and the Salt Creek Casino. In 2002, the Chickasaw Nation purchased Bank2 with headquarters in Oklahoma City. It was renamed Chickasaw Community Bank in January 2020. It started with $7.5 million in assets and has grown to $135 million in assets today. The Chickasaw Nation also operates many historical sites and museums, including the

Chickasaw Nation Capitols The historic Chickasaw Nation Capitols are located in Tishomingo, Oklahoma. The property consists of Chickasaw Council House Museum and the Chickasaw Nation Capitol building, which has been listed on the National Register of Historic Places ...

, and

Kullihoma Grounds Kullihoma Grounds consists of owned by the Chickasaw Nation, located east of Ada, Oklahoma. The land was purchased in 1936, and the Chickasaw built replicas of historic tribal dwellings on the site and uses it as a stomp ground. Historically, C ...

, as well as a number of casinos. Their casinos include

Ada Gaming Center The Ada Gaming Center is a Native American casino in Ada, Oklahoma. The center is the first gaming facility that was founded by the Chickasaw Nation, having started out as a bingo hall in 1983."The Chickasaw Nation", Studies in Success', Oklahoma I ...

, Artesian Casino,

Black Gold Casino Black Gold Casino is a Native American gaming syndicate operated and owned by the Chickasaw Nation in the state of Oklahoma. The casino is adjacent to U.S. Route 70 in Oklahoma bearing due north of Wilson, Oklahoma within Oklahoma administrativ ...

, Border Casino,

Chisholm Trail Casino Chisholm Trail Casino is a casino that opened in Duncan, Oklahoma in October, 2004. The casino is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation and is open 24 hours daily. Located along the site of the historic Chisholm Trail cattle drive, the casi ...

Gold Mountain Casino Gold Mountain Casino is a Native American casino in Ardmore, Oklahoma, owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation. Originally opened in 2002 as Ardmore Gaming, the facility has grown steadily and today features more than 300 gaming machines. The c ...

, Goldsby Gaming Center, Jet Stream Casino, Madill Gaming Center,

Newcastle Casino Newcastle Casino opened in Newcastle, Oklahoma in 1998. The casino is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation and is open 24 hours daily. The casino is located on North Main Street between U.S. Route 62 and Interstate 44 in Oklahoma and is n ...

, Newcastle Travel Gaming, RiverStar Casino,

Riverwind Casino Riverwind Casino is a casino located in Norman,Oklahoma that opened in 2006. The casino, owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation is one of the largest in the state. In addition to the casino floor, the facility also has two restaurants, a loun ...

Treasure Valley Casino Treasure Valley is a Native American gaming, Native American casino located in the Arbuckle Mountains of Davis, Oklahoma in the south-central part of the state. Owned and operated by the Chickasaw, Chickasaw Nation, the gaming center was opened in ...

, Texoma Casino,

SaltCreek Casino SaltCreek Casino, located in Pocasset, Oklahoma, is the first casino to open in Grady County, Oklahoma.Carter, Lauren,New casino opens doors to public ''The Express-Star'' December 8, 2012 It is the 18th casino owned and operated by the Chickasaw ...

, Washita Casino and

WinStar World Casino WinStar World Casino and Resort is an American tribal casino and hotel located in Thackerville, Oklahoma, near the Oklahoma–Texas state line. It is owned and operated by the Chickasaw Nation. The casino opened as the WinStar Casinos in 2004, a ...

. They also own

Lone Star Park Lone Star Park is a horse racing track and entertainment destination located mile north of Interstate 30 on Belt Line Road in Grand Prairie, Texas, Grand Prairie, Texas. Lone Star Park has two live racing seasons every year; the spring Thorough ...

Grand Prairie, Texas Grand Prairie is a city in Dallas, Tarrant, and Ellis counties of Texas, in the United States. It is part of the Mid-Cities region in the Dallas–Fort Worth metroplex. It had a population of 175,396 according to the 2010 census, making it t ...

and Remington Park Casino in

Oklahoma City Oklahoma City (), officially the City of Oklahoma City, and often shortened to OKC, is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Oklahoma. The county seat of Oklahoma County, it ranks 20th among United States cities in population, a ...

. The estimated annual tribal economic impact in the region from all sources is more than $3.18 billion.

Notable people

, governor of the Chickasaw Nation since 1987 *

Jack Brisco Freddie Joe "Jack" Brisco (September 21, 1941 – February 1, 2010) was an American amateur wrestling, amateur and Professional wrestling, professional wrestler. As an amateur for Oklahoma State, Brisco was two-time All-American and won the Natio ...

and

Gerry Brisco Floyd Gerald "Jerry" Brisco (born September 19, 1946) is an American retired professional wrestler. Brisco is best known for his time in the wrestling promotion WWE, where he was a backstage producer, and, during the 1990s, an on-screen character, ...

, pro-wrestling tag team *

Jodi Byrd Jodi Ann Byrd is an Americans, American Native Americans in the United States, indigenous academic. They recently became an associate professor of Literatures in English at Cornell University, where they also hold an affiliation with the American ...

, literary and political theorist * Stephanie Byers, first openly transgender Native American person elected to office in America *

Edwin Carewe Edwin Carewe (March 3, 1883 – January 22, 1940) was an American motion picture director, actor, producer, and screenwriter. His birth name was Jay John Fox; he was born in Gainesville, Texas. Career After brief studies at the Universities of ...

(1883–1940), movie actor and director *

Jeff Carpenter Jeff Carpenter is a musician and songwriter with the all Native American orchestral rock band Injunuity.Wesley Mahan: "Injunuity: Not your grandfather’s flute music", ''Native American Times'', http://nativetimes.com/index.php/life/entertainm ...

, recording artist and co-founder of the Native American music group ''Injunuity'' *

Charles David Carter Charles David Carter (August 16, 1868 in Chickasaw – April 9, 1929) was a Native American politician elected as U.S. Representative from Oklahoma, serving from 1907 to 1927. During this period, he also served as Mining Trustee for Indian Terri ...

, U. S. Congressman from Oklahoma *

Travis Childers Travis Wayne Childers (born March 29, 1958) is an American politician who served as the U.S. representative for from 2008 to 2011. The district included much of the northern portion of the state including New Albany, Columbus, Oxford, Southaven ...

, U.S. Congressman from Mississippi *

Helen Cole Helen TeAta Gale Cole (July 13, 1922 – April 7, 2004) was an American politician who served in the Oklahoma House of Representatives from 1979 to 1984, when she was first elected to the Oklahoma Senate. Cole returned to the state senate in 19 ...

(1922-2004), mayor of

Moore Moore may refer to: People * Moore (surname) ** List of people with surname Moore * Moore Crosthwaite (1907–1989), a British diplomat and ambassador * Moore Disney (1765–1846), a senior officer in the British Army * Moore Powell (died c. 1573 ...

, state representative, state senator, daughter of

Te Ata Fisher Mary Frances Thompson Fisher (December 3, 1895 – October 25, 1995), best known as Te Ata, was an actress and citizen of the Chickasaw Nation known for telling Native American stories. She performed as a representative of Native Americans at sta ...

Tom Cole Thomas Jeffery Cole (born April 28, 1949) is the U.S. representative for , serving since 2003. He is a member of the Republican Party and serves as Deputy Minority Whip. The chairman of the National Republican Congressional Committee (NRCC) fro ...

, U.S. Congressman, son of

Hiawatha Estes Hiawatha Thompson Estes (January 26, 1918 – May 8, 2003) was a California-based architect and author known for designing a large number of variations of the ubiquitous post-war ranch home, mass marketing plans of them, and publishing a number o ...

, architect *

storyteller and actress *

, first Governor of the Chickasaw nation *

John Herrington John Bennett Herrington (born September 14, 1958, in Chickasaw Nation) is a retired United States Naval Aviator, engineer and former NASA astronaut. In 2002, Herrington became the first enrolled member of a Native American tribe to fly in spac ...

astronaut An astronaut (from the Ancient Greek (), meaning 'star', and (), meaning 'sailor') is a person trained, equipped, and deployed by a human spaceflight program to serve as a commander or crew member aboard a spacecraft. Although generally r ...

, first enrolled Native American to travel in space * Linda Hogan, author, writer-in-residence of the Chickasaw Nation * Overton James, Governor of the Chickasaw Nation (1963-1987) *

, Governor of Chickasaw Nation (1898-1902 and 1904-1939) *

Tom Love Thomas E. Love (born October 1937) is an American billionaire businessman. He is the owner, founder and executive chairman of Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores. Early life Thomas E. Love was born in Oklahoma City in October 1937, one of six s ...

, businessman, founder of

Love's Love's Travel Stops & Country Stores, doing business as Love's (or stylized as Loves), is an American family-owned chain of more than 500 truck stop and convenience stores in 41 states in the United States. The company is privately owned and he ...

Travel Stops *

, civil engineer and politician *

Bryce Petty Bryce William Petty (born May 31, 1991) is a former American football quarterback. He played college football at Baylor University, and was drafted by the New York Jets in the fourth round of the 2015 NFL Draft. Early years Petty is a member ...

, quarterback for the Miami Dolphins *

Graham Roland Graham Roland is an American writer and producer. In 2022, he created the crime thriller series ''Dark Winds'' on ''AMC (TV channel), AMC''. Career Roland is known for his work as a writer on the Fox Broadcasting Company, FOX series ''Prison B ...

, writer and producer *

Rebecca Sandefur Rebecca Leigh Sandefur is an American sociologist. She is Professor in the School of Social and Family Dynamics at Arizona State University and a faculty fellow of the American Bar Foundation (ABF). At the ABF, she founded the access to justice ...

, sociologist and winner of a MacArthur "Genius" Fellowship *

Eula Pearl Carter Scott Eula "Pearl" Carter Scott (December 9, 1915 – March 28, 2005) was an American stunt pilot and political activist. She became the youngest pilot in the United States on September 12, 1929, when she took her first solo flight at the age of 13. ...

, pilot, later elected to the Chickasaw legislature, where she served three terms *

Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate Jerod Impichchaachaaha' Tate (born July 25, 1968) is a Chickasaw classical composer and pianist.Fred Waite Frederick Tecumseh "Dash" Waite, occasionally spelled Fred WayteOtero, Miguel Antonio (1936). ''The Real Billy the Kid with new light on the Lincoln County War,'' Rufus Rockwell Wilson, New York, p.46 (born September 23, 1853 – September 2 ...

(1853 - 1895), politician representative, senator, Speaker of the House and Attorney General of Chickasaw Nation *

Estelle Chisholm Ward Estelle Chisholm Ward (June 18, 1875 – December 9, 1946) was an Oklahoma teacher, journalist and magazine publisher. She was active in politics both civic and tribal and was elected as county treasurer of Johnston County, Oklahoma. Ward was th ...

, first woman to represent tribal interests in Washington, D.C. *

Kevin K. Washburn Kevin K. Washburn (born 1967) is an American law professor, former dean of the University of New Mexico School of Law, and current Dean of the University of Iowa College of Law. He served in the administration of President Barack Obama as Assi ...

, attorney, federal government official and law professor

Notes

References

* Atkinson, James R. Splendid Land, Splendid People: the Chickasaw Indians to Removal. Univ. of Alabama Press, 2004. * Ethridge, Robbie Franklyn. From Chicaza to Chickasaw: the European Invasion and the Transformation of the Mississippian World, 1540-1715. Univ. of North Carolina Press, 2013. * Davis, Jenny L. “Language Affiliation and Ethnolinguistic Identity in Chickasaw Language Revitalization.” Language & Communication, vol. 47, 2016, pp. 100–111., doi:10.1016/j.langcom.2015.04.005. * Gibson, Arrell M. “Chickasaw Ethnography: An Ethnohistorical Reconstruction.” Ethnohistory, vol. 18, no. 2, 1971, p. 99., doi:10.2307/481307. * Green, Richard. Chickasaw Lives. Chickasaw Press, 2007. * Perdue, Theda, and Michael D. Green. The Columbia Guide to American Indians of the Southeast. Columbia University Press, 2012. * “Native American Spaces: Cartographic Resources at the Library of Congress: Indian Territory.” Research Guides, guides.loc.gov/native-american-spaces/cartographic-resources/indian-territory. * Pritzker, Barry M. ''A Native American Encyclopedia: History, Culture, and Peoples.'' Oxford: Oxford University Press, 2000. . * Jean, Wendy St. “Trading Paths: Mapping Chickasaw History in the Eighteenth Century.” The American Indian Quarterly, vol. 27, no. 3, 2003, pp. 758–780., doi:10.1353/aiq.2004.0085. * Fitzgerald, David, et al. Chickasaw: Unconquered and Unconquerable. Chickasaw Press, 2006. * Swanton, John Reed. Chickasaw Society and Religion. University of Nebraska Press, 2006. * “Chickasaw Nation.” SPTHB, 24 June 2017, www.spthb.org/about-us/who-we-serve/chickasaw-nation/. * “GOVERNOR ANOATUBBY SAYS STATE OF THE CHICKASAW NATION IS THE STRONGEST IT'S EVER BEEN.” ''Chickasaw Nation'', 2019, chickasaw.net/News/Press-Releases/Release/Gov-Anoatubby-says-state-of-Chickasaw-Nation-is-t-52146.aspx. * “Chickasaw: The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture.” ''Chickasaw , The Encyclopedia of Oklahoma History and Culture'', www.okhistory.org/publications/enc/entry.php?entryname=CHICKASAW. * Ellis, Randy. “Business Is Booming for Chickasaw Nation.” ''Oklahoman.com'', Oklahoman, 7 Dec. 2017, oklahoman.com/article/5575008/business-is-booming-for-chickasaw-nation. * “Mission, Vision & Core Values.” ''Chickasaw Nation'', chickasaw.net/Our-Nation/Government/Mission-Vision-Core-Values.aspx.

External links

Chickasaw Nation
official website
Chickasaw Nation Video Network
- Chickasaw.TV
Voices of Oklahoma interview with Bill Anoatubby.
First person interview conducted on October 18, 2010 with Bill Anoatubby, the tribal Governor of the Chickasaw Nation. {{DEFAULTSORT:Chickasaw Nation Chickasaw, 1856 establishments in Indian Territory American Indian reservations in Oklahoma Federally recognized tribes in the United States Native American tribes in Oklahoma States and territories established in 1856