Poarch Band of Creek Indians

Regions with significant populations
Alabama
Languages
English, Choctaw
Religion
Protestant, traditional beliefs
Related ethnic groups
Creek, Five Civilized Tribes other Native American groups

The Poarch Band of Creek Indians is the only federally recognized group of Native Americans residing in the southern part of the state of Alabama. They were formerly known as the Creek Nation East of the Mississippi. They are located mostly in Escambia County, where they operate three gaming casinos and a hotel.

Contents 1 History 2 Tribal membership requirements 3 Current status 4 References 5 External links

[edit] History

The Poarch Band descends from Muscogee Creek Indians who sided with the United States in the Creek War of 1813-1814. Many Creeks remained in Alabama despite the Indian Removal Act of 1830.

They have lived in Alabama as a distinct community for the last two centuries.^[1] The Poarch Band represents only some of the descendants of those who were not removed. Over the decades, many Indians intermarried with black or white Alabamians, and some moved into those social and cultural groups.^[2]

[edit] Tribal membership requirements

The tribe has many members who are mixed-race, but trace descent from Native American Creeks registered in 1900, when the Poarch Band had 150 members.^[2]

[edit] Current status

The Poarch Creek Indian Reservation is located in south Alabama near the city of Atmore, Alabama.^[1] The tribe owns Poarch Creek Indian Gaming, which operates three casinos: Wind Creek Casino and Hotel in Atmore, Riverside Entertainment Center in Wetumpka, and Tallapoosa Entertainment Center in Montgomery.^[1]

[edit] References

1. ^ ^{a b c} "Welcome", Poarch Band of Creek Indians Website, 2005, retrieved 23 Feb 2009
2. ^ ^{a b} Paredes, J. Anthony. "Federal Recognition and the Poarch Creek Indians" in Paredes, J. Anthony, ed. Indians of the Southeastern United States in the Late 20th Century (Tuscaloosa: The University of Alabama Press, 1992) p. 120-121

[edit] External links

• Poarch Band of Creek Indians Official Website

This article relating to the Indigenous peoples of North America is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it. v • d • e