Title: Native American identity in the United States - Wikipedia
Headings: Native American identity in the United States
Native American identity in the United States
Contents
Definitions
Traditional
Constructed as an imagined community
Blood quantum
Residence on tribal lands
Construction by others
United States government definitions
Self-identification
Personal reasons for self-identification
Historic struggles
Unity and nationalism
Examples
Cherokee
Navajo
Lumbee
References
Bibliography

Content: He was concerned that there may soon be no more Native Americans, only "Native American Americans, like Polish Americans and Italian Americans ." As the number of Indians has grown (ten times as many today as in 1890), the number who carry on tribal traditions shrinks (one fifth as many as in 1890), as has been common among many ethnic groups over time. Means said, "We might speak our language, we might look like Indians and sound like Indians, but we won’t be Indians." Contents
1 Definitions
1.1 Traditional
1.2 Constructed as an imagined community
1.3 Blood quantum
1.4 Residence on tribal lands
1.5 Construction by others
1.6 United States government definitions
1.7 Self-identification
1.7.1 Personal reasons for self-identification
2 Historic struggles
3 Unity and nationalism
4 Examples
4.1 Cherokee
4.2 Navajo
4.3 Lumbee
5 References
5.1 Bibliography
Definitions
There are various ways in which Indian identity has been defined. Some definitions seek universal applicability, while others only seek definitions for particular purposes, such as for tribal membership or for the purposes of legal jurisdiction. The individual seeks to have a personal identity that matches social and legal definitions, although perhaps any definition will fail to categorize correctly the identity of everyone. American Indians were perhaps clearly identifiable at the turn of the 20th century, but today the concept is contested. Malcolm Margolin, co-editor of News From Native California muses, "I don’t know what an Indian is... [but] Some people are clearly Indian, and some are clearly not." Cherokee Chief (from 1985–1995) Wilma Mankiller echoes: " An Indian is an Indian regardless of the degree of Indian blood or which little government card they do or do not possess."