Texas has "no legal mechanism to recognize tribes," as journalists Graham Lee Brewer and Tristan Ahtone wrote.[4]State-recognized tribes do not have the government-to-government relationship with the
United States federal government that federally recognized tribes do. Texas has no state-recognized tribes.[5]
Texas Senate Bill 274 to formally recognize the
Lipan Apache Tribe of Texas, introduced in January 2021, died in committee.[6]
Historical tribes of Texas
These are some of the tribes that have existed in what is now Texas. Many were forcibly removed to
Indian Territory, now
Oklahoma, in the 19th century, and few to
New Mexico. Others no longer exist as tribes but may have living descendants.
More than
30 organizations claim to represent historic tribes within Texas; however, these groups are
unrecognized, meaning they do not meet the minimum criteria of federally recognized tribes[3] and are not state-recognized tribes.[42] Some of these cultural heritage groups form
501(c)(3)nonprofit organizations.
^Newland, Bryan (30 April 2022).
"Federal Tribal Recognition". Office of Congressional and Legislative Affairs. US Department of the Interior. Retrieved 23 November 2021.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Salinero Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Anderson, H. Allen.
"Teya Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Vaquero Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N. (1 June 1995).
"Aranama Indiams". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^
abcdWilhelm, Kerri (10 February 2015).
"The Akokisa and the Atakapans". Texas Archaeological Research Laboratory. University of Texas, Austin. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Deadose Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Biesele, Megan.
"Biloxi Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^
abcdefghijklmnRogers, J. Daniel; Sabo III, George (2004). Fogelson, Raymond D. (ed.). Handbook of North American Indians: Southeast, Vol. 14. Washington, DC: Smithsonian Institution. p. 617.
ISBN0-16-072300-0.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Comecrudo Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Ervipiame Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Geier Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Pajalat Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Pastia Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Payaya Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Quepano Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Unpuncliegut Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Xarame Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Dotchetonne Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Campbell, Thomas N.
"Escanjaque Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
^Hickerson, Nancy P.
"Jumano Indians". Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved 1 May 2022.
† extinct language / ≠ extinct tribe / >< early,
obsolete name of Indigenous tribe / ° people absorbed into other tribe(s) / * headquartered in Oklahoma today