Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians

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Pokagon Band of Potawatomi Indians are Algonquian-speaking Potawatomi-people located in southwestern Michigan and northeastern Indiana. Tribal government functions are located in Dowagiac, Michigan. The tribal membership has grown to approximately 3,150 members as of 2006. Recent census data reports an unemployment rate of 26% and of those working, 40% living below the poverty guidelines.

[edit] History

The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi were party to 11 treaties with the federal government with the major land cession being the 1833 Treaty of Chicago. During the Indian removals, many Potawatomi bands were removed west. However, Chief Leopold Pokagon was able to negotiate to keep his Potawatomi band of 280 people in southwestern Michigan, leaving them to be the only Potawatomi band not to experience the Indian Removal Act.

Under the Indian Reorganization Act on 1934, the Pokagon Band asked for reaffirmation of recognition by the Department of the Interior but the DOI denied it. After years of petitioning, the Band regained recognition in 1994. The Pokagon Band of Potawatomi indians have recently opened up Four Winds Casino Resort. The casino is said to be the second largest outside of Las Vegas.^[1]