State recognized tribes are Native American
Indian Tribes, Nations, and Heritage Groups that have been recognized by a process established under assorted
state laws for varying purposes. With increasing activism by tribal nations since the mid-20th century to obtain
federal recognition of their
tribal sovereignty, many states have passed legislation to recognize some tribes and acknowledge the self-determination and continuity of historic ethnic groups. The majority of these groups are located in the
Eastern US, as is the case with the three largest state-recognized tribes: viz. the
Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and the
United Houma Nation of Louisiana.