American Indian & Alaska Native Heritage Month: November 2003

American Indian and Alaska Native Heritage Month originated in 1915 when the president of the Congress of American Indian Associations issued a proclamation declaring the second Saturday in May each year as American Indian Day. The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916, in New York. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November 1990 “National American Indian Heritage Month.” Similar proclamations have been issued each year since 1994.

4.3 million
The number of people estimated to be American Indian and Alaska native or American Indian and Alaska native in combination with one or more other races, as of July 1, 2002. They made up 1.5 percent of the total population.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-100.html>

103,000
The number of people estimated to be American Indian and Alaska native alone or American Indian and Alaska native in combination with one or more other races who were added to the nation’s population between Census Day, April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2002. This population increased at a rate of 2.4 percent over the period, roughly the same rate of increase as the overall population.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-100.html>

3.1 million
The number of American Indians and Alaska natives who claim membership in a specific tribe. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02cn56.html>

• American Indian tribes with more than 50,000 members are Cherokee, Navajo, Choctaw, Blackfeet, Chippewa, Muscogee (Creek), Apache and Lumbee. Cherokee is easily the largest, with a population of 697,400 who are Cherokee alone or in combination with one or more other races or tribes.
  <http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/phc-t18.html>
• Tlingit is the largest Alaska native tribe, with 17,200 members. Other Alaska native tribes with 5,000 or more members are Alaskan Athabascan, Eskimo and Yup’ik. <http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/phc-t18.html>

• 633,000, or 63 percent, consist of married couples.
• 566,000, or 57 percent, include own children under 18.
• 339,000, or 34 percent, are married couples with their own children under 18. <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>

48
Percentage of American Indians and Alaska natives who are married.
<http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>

The percentage of adopted children who are American Indian and Alaska native (1.6 percent) is higher than the percentage of biological (1.0 percent) or stepchildren (1.2 percent) who are American Indian and Alaska native. This is due in part to informal adoptions in American Indian and Alaska native communities. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-130.html>

Population Distribution

66
Percentage of American Indians and Alaska natives who live in metropolitan areas, lowest of any race group. A majority of American Indians and Alaska natives lived outside metropolitan areas until about 1990. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2002/cb02cn173.html>

19
Percentage of Alaska’s population identified as American Indian and Alaska native on
July 1, 2002, the highest rate for this race group of any state in the nation, followed by Oklahoma (11 percent) and New Mexico (11 percent).
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-144.html>

21,900
The number of American Indians and Alaska natives added to Arizona’s population between Census Day, April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2002. That was the largest numeric increase of any state in the nation. California and Texas added 10,200 and 9,700, respectively. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-144.html>

9.2
The percentage increase in Nevada’s American Indian and Alaska native population between April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2002. That was the highest such percentage increase for this group of any state in the nation. Florida and Arizona were next, with increases of 7.4 percent and 7.3 percent, respectively. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-144.html>

50
Percentage of residents of Navajo County, Ariz., who identified themselves as American Indian or Alaska native on July 1, 2002, highest percentage of any county.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-143.html>

9,000
Number of American Indians or Alaska natives added to the population of Maricopa County, Ariz., between April 1, 2000, and July 1, 2002. Maricopa led all the nation’s counties in this category. Meanwhile, when it comes to percentage increase in the American Indian and Alaska native population, Fairfax County, Va., led all counties with a 45 percent increase over the same period. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-143.html>

Age Distribution

1.4 million
The number of American Indian and Alaska native children under 18. Children comprise nearly one-third of this race group. <http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-100.html>

292,000
Number of American Indians and Alaska natives age 65 and over. This age group comprises
7 percent of the American Indian and Alaska native population.
<http://www.census.gov/Press-Release/www/2003/cb03-100.html>

Education
14
Percentage of American Indians and Alaska natives age 25 and over who had earned at least a bachelor’s degree. <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>

75
Percentage of American Indians and Alaska natives age 25 and over who had at least a high school diploma. <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>

125,000
Number of American Indians and Alaska natives age 25 and over who have an advanced degree (i.e., master’s, Ph.D., medical or law). <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>

Homeownership
The American Indian and Alaska native homeownership rate — the percentage of American Indian and Alaska native households who own their own home — is 55 percent. <http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>

Proud to Serve
383,000
Number of military veterans who identified themselves as American Indian and Alaska natives. Of these, 147,000 served during the Vietnam War era.
<http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/BasicFactsServlet>

Language
381,000
Number of people who speak a native North American language. Of these languages, the most commonly spoken is Navajo, with 178,014 speakers. <http://www.census.gov/population/www/cen2000/phc-t20.html>

Jobs
24
Percentage of American Indians and Alaska natives age 16 and over who work in management, professional and related occupations.
<http://www.census.gov/prod/2003pubs/c2kbr-25.pdf>