Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians Tribal Chief Cyrus Ben has been elected to the board of trustees of the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH).
Chief Ben’s election to the MDAH must be confirmed by the Mississippi State Senate. He will be the first Native American and member of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians elected to the MDAH Board of Trustees.
“Chief Ben brings an excellent background of public service and leadership experience,” said Spence Flatgard, MDAH Board of Trustees president. “MDAH will benefit greatly from his expertise and dedication. We are thrilled to have him on our Board.”
A lifelong resident of the Pearl River community, Chief Ben has a 15-year record of public service and leadership to the Choctaw Tribal government, including eight years as the tribal council representative for the Pearl River community. He was elected as tribal chief in July 2019 and re-elected in 2023. He also served on the Mississippi State Flag Commission, which oversaw the selection of the new state flag that includes a symbol of native territory before statehood.
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