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Silas Benn. Photo courtesy of the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians.
Mississippi Choctaw leader joins state historical commission
Tuesday, July 30, 2024
indones.com
A Mississippi Choctaw leader is making history as the first Native American elected to the Mississippi Department of Archives and History (MDAH) Board of Trustees. Chief Silas Ben, serving his second term in tribal office, was elected to the MDAH Board of Trustees at their July 12 meeting. His nomination will now go to the Mississippi Senate for formal approval. “Chief Ben has an outstanding background in public service and leadership experience,” MDAH Board Chairman Spence Flatgard said in a news release this month. “MDAH will benefit greatly from his expertise and commitment, and we are very pleased to welcome him to the Board.”
Silas Benn, 5th democratically elected Tribal Chairman of the Choctaw Nation of Mississippi, has been elected to the MDAH Board of Directors. Learn more at https://t.co/1GE0vZkbeO. pic.twitter.com/PnaPwoxUT3
— MS Department of Archives & History (@MDAH_Official) July 12, 2024
MDAH is the state’s second-oldest archives and history department. The agency’s mission includes returning tribal ancestral and cultural property to its rightful owners under the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA). Under NAGPRA, a federal law, the state agency recently returned 95 ancestors and 1,500 lots of grave goods to the Chickasaw Nation, whose territory includes northern Mississippi. This new action follows the return of 403 ancestors and 83 lots of grave goods to the tribe in 2021. “We are committed to the return of Native American ancestral and cultural property currently in MDAH’s care and will continue to work closely with tribal representatives and the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA),” Director Katie Brandt said in a news release Monday. “We appreciate the Chickasaw Nation’s cooperation and consultation during this important process.”
MDAH transported 403 Native American remains and 83 sets of burial items to the Chickasaw Nation Cemetery.
Posted by Mississippi Department of Archives and History on Thursday, March 18, 2021 Amber Hood, director of historical preservation and repatriation for the Chickasaw Nation, welcomed the return of ancestral remains and cultural items to the tribe, which is headquartered in Oklahoma after being expelled from their homeland in the southeastern United States. The 2021 operation marked the largest return of remains in Mississippi history. It was also the first return for MDAH, coinciding with the launch of the Mississippi Repatriation Initiative. “These ancestors are not just numbers or statistics; they are family members who were loved and mourned at the time of their passing,” Hood said in the release. “We maintain a spiritual connection to our ancestors, and while working on the NAGPRA case comes with an emotional burden, it is our responsibility to advocate for them.” “The Chickasaw Nation is committed to working with the goal of repatriating the remains of our ancestors and having them reinterred with honor,” Hood added. “We appreciate that MDAH shares the same goals and is committed to the Mississippi Repatriation Initiative.” Once approved, MDAH board members will serve six-year terms.