Georgia and Alabama: recognition by a line in the code (Georgia; Alabama, 1984)

SUMMARY28. Georgia and Alabama: recognition by a line in the code (Georgia; Alabama, 1984) [Connections: Who decided who's Indian, Nov 5, 2026]

RECORDGeorgia, O.C.G.A. § 44-12-300 recognizes "The Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee," "The Lower Muscogee Creek Tribe," and "The Cherokee of Georgia Tribal Council," and lets the General Assembly recognize others "as the General Assembly deems appropriate." Alabama, Code § 41-9-708 names seven groups (Poarch Band of Creeks; Mowa Band of Choctaws; Star Clan of Muscogee Creeks; Echota Cherokees; Cherokees of Northeast Alabama; Cherokees of Southeast Alabama; Ma-Chis Lower Creek) and says they "shall be state recognized upon passage of this article," with the commission empowered "to recognize additional Indian tribes." BIA records: Georgia Tribe of Eastern Cherokee received a proposed finding declining federal acknowledgment (projected date May 2016), and Lower Muskogee Creek was denied in 1981 (card 22); MOWA was denied in 1997 (card 20)

PATTERNThe same group can be "Indian" in state law and "not a tribe" in federal law. State recognition carries no federal Indian status

LENS (WW9)Two governments, two verdicts on the same families; the word "Indian" changes at the state line

OPENDates of the Georgia statute's enactment (1993 per common sources; not confirmed on a fetched page) and Alabama's Davis-Strong Act name and date (article 26; confirm)

SOURCEJustia, O.C.G.A. § 44-12-300; Justia, Code of Alabama § 41-9-708; BIA, GTEC proposed finding (petition 041).