fbpx
 

WASHINGTON — On Thursday, the US Census Bureau released demographic data from the Census 2020 that shows tremendous growth in the American Indian and Alaska Native population from 2010 to 2020.

The data released reflects that the American Indian and Alaska Native population, when counted alone and not combined with any other race, was 3.7 million, which is 1.1 percent of the total population of the United States. In 2010, there were 2.9 million American Indians and Alaska Natives. The growth rate over the past decade was a 27.1 percent increase.

Want more Native News? Get the free daily newsletter today.

More astounding was that the American Indian and Alaska Native in combination population increased by 160 percent from 2010 to 2020. The combination population was 9.7 million people — or 2.9 percent of the total population — up from 5.2 million in 2010.

“NCAI is excited to see the 2020 Census results that show a more diverse America,” National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) President Fawn Sharp. said. 

“We are also excited that the official redistricting season can now begin with today’s release of the redistricting data. We are encouraging all Tribal Nations to participate in their local and state redistricting efforts to ensure that Tribal Nations are fairly represented and have access to the resources they need and deserve.”

For the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander populations also saw double-digit growth in their communities. The Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander alone population grew by 27.8 percent between 2010 and 2020. In comparison, the Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander in combination population grew faster — 30.8 percent since 2010.

The data reveals that the country has become less white over the last decade, with the white population decreasing by 8.6 percent. 

Consequently, this data could influence and affect how congressional districts are determined over the next 10 years.  While the data shows population growths among AIANs and other people of color, there are justified concerns that this census may not fully reflect the nation’s growing diversity because of politicized tactics that discouraged people of color from participating in the 2020 Census.

More Stories Like This

House Passes Bipartisan Debt Ceiling Deal; How Native American Members of Congress Voted
History Made as First Navajo Appointed U.S. Federal Judge in California
California Bill Aims to Increase State Funding for Tribal Housing
Navajo Nation Leaders Recognized the Fallen on Memorial Day
This Day in History — May 28, 1830, Andrew Jackson Signs Indian Removal Act

Native News is free to read.

We hope you enjoyed the story you've just read. For the past dozen years, we’ve covered the most important news stories that are usually overlooked by other media. From the protests at Standing Rock and the rise of the American Indian Movement (AIM), to the ongoing epidemic of Murdered and Missing Indigenous People (MMIP) and the past-due reckoning related to assimilation, cultural genocide and Indian Boarding Schools.

Our news is free for everyone to read, but it is not free to produce. That’s why we’re asking you to make a donation to help support our efforts. Any contribution — big or small — helps.  Most readers donate between $10 and $25 to help us cover the costs of salaries, travel and maintaining our digital platforms. If you’re in a position to do so, we ask you to consider making a recurring donation of $12 per month to join the Founder's Circle. All donations help us remain a force for change in Indian Country and tell the stories that are so often ignored, erased or overlooked.

Donate to Native News Online today and support independent Indigenous journalism. Thank you. 

About The Author
Native News Online Staff
Author: Native News Online StaffEmail: This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
Native News Online is one of the most-read publications covering Indian Country and the news that matters to American Indians, Alaska Natives and other Indigenous people. Reach out to us at [email protected].