Arkansas Indigenous Peoples

Native American Topics
Buffalo Hunt under the Wolf-Skin Mask
Beginning Research
Beginning Your Search Finding Your United States Indigenous Ancestor Starting Native American Research Indigenous Peoples of North America - A Beginner's Guide
Tribes
Tribes of the U.S. Fed Recognized Tribes 5 Civilized Tribes	Tribes by State State Recognized Tribes If the Tribe Is Unknown
Record Types
Allotment Records Annuity Rolls Biography Cemeteries Census Rolls Census Schedules Church Records Correspondence and Reports Court Records Enrollment Records Dawes Rolls Guion Miller Rolls Factories/Trading	Health Records Heirship Records Individual History Card Land and Property Maps Military Records Newpapers Online Records Oral Histories Probate Records Register of Families Removal Records Sanitary Records Schools and Education Records Treaties Vital Records
Bureau of Indian Affairs
Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA) Agencies	Area Offices Reservations Superintendencies
Other Topics
Archives/Libraries Citizenship Claims Commissn. Cultural Groups Forts Glossary	Laws and Policies Regions For Further Reading

United States

Indigenous Peoples of the United States

Arkansas

Indigenous Peoples of Arkansas

Online Resources

• See Native American Online Genealogy Records for more resources.
• U.S., Ratified Indian Treaties and Chiefs, 1722-1869 at Ancestry.com ($)

Tribes and Bands of Arkansas

When a tribe or group is federally recognized it is eligible for funding and services from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). When a state establishes state tribal recognition, it acknowledges the tribes status within the state, but does not guarantee funding from either the state or the federal government. When a tribe is recognized by the federal government, it can also be recognized by the state, but not all state recognized tribes are necessarily recognized by the federal government.

For an current list of Federal and State Recognized Tribes, see List of federally recognized tribes by state and State-recognized tribes in the United States at Wikipedia

Tribes Recognized by the Federal Government

There are no Tribes in Arkansas that are recognized by the Federal Government.

Tribes Recognized by the State of Arkansas

There are no Tribes recognized by the State of Arkansas. Most Native Americans were forced to leave Arkansas during the Indian Removals of the 1800's. These tribes are not extinct, but except for the descendants of Arkansas Indians who escaped from Removal, they do not live in Arkansas anymore. They were moved to Indian reservations in Oklahoma instead.

Tribes Formally in Arkansas

• Caddo: Official Tribe Website; Caddo, Research Wiki Article
  
• Cherokee Nation: Official Tribe Website; Cherokee, Research Wiki Article
  
• Chickasaw; Official Tribe Website; Chickasaw Research Wiki Article
  
• Osage; Official Tribe Website; Osage Research Wiki Article
  
• Quapaw; Official Tribe Website; Quapaw Research Wiki Ariticle
  
• Tunica; Official Tribe Website; Tunica Research Wiki Article

Tribes Not Recognized or No Longer are Active in Arkansas

• Cahinnio: Wikipedia
• Kasikinampo: AccessGenealogy
• Michigamea: Wikipedia
• Mosopelea and Ofo: Wikipedia
• Yazoo: Wikipedia
  

Agencies of the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Arkansas

• See Agencies of the Bureau of Indian Affairs for more resources.

Agency Records

Agencies and subagencies were created as administrative offices of the Bureau of Indian Affairs and its predecessors. Their purpose was (and is) to manage Indian affairs with the tribes, to enforce policies, and to assist in maintaining the peace. The local office of the Bureau of Indian Affairs was charged with maintaining records of the activities of those under their responsibility. The names and location of these agencies may have changed, but their purpose remained basically the same. Some records may be available to tribal members through the tribal headquarters. The BIA agency for Arkansas is the Eastern Region Office, BIA.

• Allotment records
• Annuity rolls
• Census records
• Correspondence
• Health records
• Reports
• School census and records
• Vital records

Agency Offices

• Arkansas Agency, 1807-1834
• Cherokee Agency

Superintendencies

The Superintendencies were over the Indian agents and Indian Agencies.

• 1819: Arkansas Superintendency of Indian Affairs created
• 1825-1826: Most Quapaw were removed to the Caddo or Red River Agency on the Red River, west of Arkansas.

Reservations in Arkansas

• See Indigenous Peoples of the United States Reservations for more resources.

Indian Censuses

• See United States Special Inquiries Relating to Indians for more resources.
• See American Indian Census Rolls for more resources.

Arkansas Indian Schools

• See Indigenous Peoples of the United States School Records for more resources.

• Dwight Presbyterian Mission School: Wikipedia Article; Encyclopeida of Arkansas; Story Maps

Land Allotment Records

• See Allotment Records for Indigenous Peoples of the United States for more resources.

Treaty Cession Lands

• Native American Treaty Cession Lands in Arkansas at ARGenWeb

Arkansas Map of Indian Lands

• See Indigenous Peoples of the United States Maps for more resources.

Missions in Arkansas

• Ancestry.com Cherokees, Conversations on the mission to the Arkansas, 1833. ($)

Arkansas Native Americans Historical Background

• Arkansas County, Arkansas at Wikipedia
  
• History of Arkansas at Wikipedia
  
• Native Americans at the Encyclopedia of Arkansas
  

There are no Tribes recognized by the State of Arkansas. Most Native Americans were forced to leave Arkansas during the Indian Removals of the 1800's. These tribes are not extinct, but except for the descendants of Arkansas Indians who escaped from Removal, they do not live in Arkansas anymore. They were moved to Indian reservations in Oklahoma instead.

Repositories

Archives

National Archives at Washington, D.C., Archives I
Pennsylvania Avenue at 8th Street, NW
Washington, D.C. 20408
Telephone: 202-501-5415
Fax: 301-713-6740
Email: Contact Us
Digitized Records
Website
Research Wiki Article

• American Indian and Alaska Native Records in the National Archives - guide to records relating to Native Americans in the United States
• Records of the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), Record Group 75, 1793-1989 - description of records in RG 75

National Archives at Fort Worth
1400 John Burgess Drive
Fort Worth, Texas 76140
Phone: (817) 551-2051
Email: ftworth.archives@nara.gov
Website
Research Wiki Article

• This regional archives has records for Cherokee, Choctaw, Chickasaw, Creek and Seminole Indians, also known as the Five Civilized Tribes.
• Dawes Records - Other records include Muskogee Area Office, Records of Indian Schools, Administrative Records of District Offices.

This website requires a paid subscription for full access. Some subscription websites are available for free at your local FamilySearch Center or Affiliate Library.