Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma

Traditionally, the Choctaws lived around Nanih Waiya in Central Mississippi, and spread to Southern Mississippi, as well as the western portions of Alabama. Tribal oral history says they lived in the Americas for 20,000 years before the coming of the Europeans.

The Choctaw are one of the tribes referred to as the Five Civilized Tribes. Prior to their removal to Oklahoma territory, the Choctaws had lived for almost three centuries among the white people.

The Treaty of Dancing Rabbit Creek in 1830 negotiated the removal of the Choctaw Indians to Oklahoma territory. It provided each Choctaw head of family a choice -the opportunity of remaining in Mississippi where he might select an allotment of land and become a citizen or moving on to Oklahoma Territory. About 7,000 elected to stay, and against their wishes the others agreed to the terms to move, believing as past experience had taught them that it would only be a matter of time before they were forced to move anyway - and in fact this did actually happen although a remnant of the original Choctaws still remain in Mississippi. The Choctaw removal to Indian Territory occurred between October, 1830 and 1833.

There were three Districts where the Choctaws resided in Indian Territory; Pushmataha, Apukshunubbee and Mushulatubbee, named after the three district chiefs. The Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma acheived federal recognition through The Act of April 26, 1906, which settled the final disposition of the Affairs of the Five Civilized Tribes in Indian Territory. As one of the Five Civilized Tribes, the Choctaws are today still governed by the provisions of this act. Other Choctaw who did not go to Indian Territory are members of the Mississippi Band of Choctaws  and the Jena Band of Choctaw Indians.