Historically as well as today, the three major American Indian Tribes located in Michigan have been the Chippewa (Ojibwa (e), Ottawa (Adawa) and Potawatomi with other tribes once residing here to include; the fox, sac, Miami, Menominee, Kickapoo, Winnebago, and Cree.

The 1990 US census shows Michigan with an American Indian population of 55,638 and 1991 BIA figures indicate that 23,905 are enrolled members of Michigan's federally recognized tribes. These tribes/enrollment numbers are bay mills Chippewa community, established in 1860, grand traverse band of Ottawa/Chippewa, established in 1984, Hannahville Potawatomi community, established in 1913, Keweenaw bay Chippewa Community, established in 1854, Lac Vieux desert Chippewa community, established in 1988, Saginaw Chippewa tribe established in 1864 and Sault Ste. Marie chipped tribe established in 1974.

Five Michigan "historic tribes" are in the process of seeking federal recognition, being Burt lake band of Ottawa, Little Traverse bay band of Odawa, Huron band of Potawatomi, Pokagon Band of Potawatomi, and Littler River band of Ottawa. Unable to do so before 1978, these groups undoubtedly fell into the category cited by authors Kickingbird and Ducheneaux in One Hundred Million Acres, "many of these tribes were so small, so peaceful or so isolated and posing no threat to white settlement that in most cases, they were simply forgotten."

Belatedly, besides the historical tribes, we continued to have long-established isolated Indian settlements at such places as Bradly, Cross village, Athens, and Watervaliet. Additionally, most of our reservations/federally recognized tribes are checkerboard designed and we have some isolated communities far from the reservation proper such as Saganing, Ontanogan and in several of the communities in the Grand Traverse Ottawa and Sault Ste. Marie Chippewa Services areas.

Post World War II and our economic boom in industry in several of our urban areas, coupled with the Indian relocation Policy of the 1950's-60's have resulted in a large urban India population, usually consisting of unrecognized Indians, enrolled members living too far from their tribal service area of Canadian Natives since we're a major border state with our three main ports of entry being: Detroit, Port Huron, and Sault Ste. Marie.

Not only in education but also in federal assistance in general, Michigan Indian Country has not faired well. Since we are located East of the Mississippi and with many of our residents not being federally recognized, we suffered in services because of the erroneous prevailing policy/philosophy that assimilation, acculturation and mainstreaming had been successful here.

We did not receive BIA Johnson O'Malley program monies until circa 1971-72, although the legislation was enacted in 1934 and received little or no funding for economic development/; self sufficiency. As such, our strength, despite our diversity, lies with our in-state networking, coordination and cooperating between our urban and rural, recognized and unrecognized Indians, American and Canadian and with our federal, state, and local government agencies and education and human service providers.

In 1994, US DOE Title V Indian Education programs existed in 71 Michigan public school districts serving 14,814 eligible students and by 1990-91, 3,774 students were being served by our seven federally recognized tribes under the JOM Program (BIA) in 45 school districts, adjacent to reservation lands.

During the 93-94, academic year, our six federal tribes that operate BIA funded higher education contracts, funded 289 students collectively, with nearly all restricting enrollment to our Michigan public colleges and universities because of budget constraints and to ensure that many/most of these students would take advantage of Michigan P.A. 505 Indian Tuition Waiver Program (which served 2,357 eligible students during this timeframe). The Saginaw Chippewa Tribe operates its own tribally funded scholarship program.