Sturtevant, W. C. & Geological Survey, U. S. (1967) National atlas. Indian tribes, cultures & languages: United States. Reston, Va.: Interior, Geological Survey. [Map] Retrieved from the Library of Congress, https://www.loc.gov/item/95682185/.
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The Law Library would like to thank the Native American Law Students Association (NALSA) of NCCU School of Law for their contribution of MMIW resources to this Research Guide.
This research guide highlights the indigenous and native peoples of the United States of America and the federal and tribal laws surrounding them, their lands, and their culture.
Throughout this research guide there may be usage of the term "Indian" to refer to the Indigenous peoples of the United States. This is due to the historical, legal nature of the term.
Indigenous is a term referencing the tribes that existed on the American land masses (North, South and Caribbean Islands) pre-Columbus while Native is understood to reference the locality. For example, in the United States the Navajo or Diné peoples are indigenous to the United States and native to the areas they currently inhabit in Arizona, New Mexico, and Utah. While the Seminole people are indigenous to the United States, they are not native to Oklahoma where a large number were forcibly relocated from Florida during the Trail of Tears.
Indigenous peoples of the United States refer to themselves primarily by their Tribes (e.g., "I am Hopi/Zuni/Choctaw") and use the terms American Indian, Native American, or Indigenous American to refer to themselves collectively, depending on the person. When talking about native groups or people, use the terminology the members of the community use to describe themselves collectively.