The first American Indian Day was celebrated in May 1916 in New York. Red Fox James, a Blackfeet Indian, rode horseback from state to state, getting endorsements from 24 state governments to have a day to honor American Indians. In 1990, President George H.W. Bush signed a joint congressional resolution designating November as “National American Indian Heritage Month.”

As of the 2010 Census, the nation’s population of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race totaled 5.2 million. They made up 1.7 percent of the total population. Of this total, 2.9 million were American Indian and Alaska Native only, and 2.3 million were American Indian and Alaska Native in combination with one or more other races.

The projected population of American Indians and Alaska Natives, including those of more than one race, is 8.6 million on July 1, 2050. They would comprise 2 percent of the total population.

The nation’s American Indian and Alaska Native population between the 2000 Census and 2010 Census increased by 1.1 million.

The states with more than 100,000 American Indian and Alaska Native residents as of the 2010 Census were: California, Oklahoma, Arizona, Texas, New York, New Mexico, Washington, North Carolina, Florida, Michigan, Alaska, Oregon, Colorado, Minnesota and Illinois.

There were 334 recognized American Indian reservations in 2010. This total excludes Hawaiian homelands. All in all, there are 617 American Indian legal and statistical areas for which the Census Bureau provides data.

The federal government recognizes 565 Indian tribes.