Economic Influence of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians

The history of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians between the 19th and 20th century was no different than any other Indian tribe located east of the Mississippi River. They were treated poorly by the government, lived in poverty, were scantily educated, and many were forced to relocate from their homelands in Mississippi to the Oklahoma Indian territory. But because of the hard work of one Indian Chief, Chief Phillip Martin, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians now flourishes. Economic turmoil had gripped the Choctaw Indians during the 19th century, but with the vision, perseverance, and dedication of Chief Phillip Martin, the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians created a thriving network of industrial, commercial, and recreational businesses. These businesses are now collectively one of the top 10 employers and a major economic influence in the state of Mississippi. Located in a rural area in Mississippi, near the city of Philadelphia, lays a great economic influence, it is that of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. The reservation on which they reside has in recent history, prospered beyond that of any other area in Mississippi. The Choctaw Indians bring in millions of dollars of revenue to the local economy as well as the state. They employ thousands of both tribal and non-tribal members in their thriving businesses. According to Harlan Majors, the mayor of the Mississippi town of Philadelphia, the Choctaw Nation “employs not only their own people, but ours too. It has never been as good as it is now. Our economy depends on them. If the tribe went bankrupt, we 'd go into a depression."[1] This economical stability is thanks in large part to the Choctaw Indian Chief Phillip Martin. After this small town’s timber economy collapsed in the 1950’s Chief Martin began transforming the town, in the late 1960’s into a multi-million dollar revenue source. In 1955, after serving in the Air Force for 10 years, Chief Phillip Martin

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