Beasley Denson facts for kids

Beasley Denson was an important leader, known as the Miko or Tribal Chief, for the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians. He served in this role from 2007 to 2011. He was the third person to be chosen as Tribal Chief since the tribe created its modern rules for leadership.

Beasley Denson won the election by getting 1,697 votes. He beat Phillip Martin, who had been the Chief for 28 years, by 211 votes.

Growing Up and Learning

Beasley Denson was born in the Conehatta Community. His parents were David Denson and Bema Steve York. He has two sisters, Angela and Rita, and a brother, Douglas Sam Denson. They grew up in the Standing Pine Community in Choctaw, Mississippi.

Beasley Denson speaks the Choctaw language very well. He went to Choctaw Central High School. After that, he earned a degree from Hinds Community College and Mississippi State University.

He married Lena John, who was from Red Water and Pearl River. They have three children: Michael David, Darren Keith, and Lane. They also have a son-in-law named Oga, and six grandchildren.

Starting His Career

After finishing his education, Beasley Denson began working for the Choctaw Tribe. The tribe had organized itself again earlier in the 20th century. Their land, called a reservation, is spread across several counties in central Mississippi.

Leading the Tribe

Beasley Denson was first chosen to be part of the Choctaw Tribal Council in 1975. He served on the Council for five terms. During this time, he also held important jobs like Secretary Treasurer and Vice Chief.

While he was on the Council, Mississippi allowed gaming (casinos). In 1994, the Choctaw Tribe opened their first casino, which is now part of the Pearl River Resort. The money earned from the resort helps the tribe. It is used for things like improving life for tribal members and helping the economy grow.

Denson also worked on the Choctaw Gaming Commission for two years. He was a leader on the National Indian Education Board. He also served on the Board of Directors for United Southeastern Tribes.

As Chief, Beasley Denson worked hard to be a leader who listened to his people. He always put the needs of the Chahta (Choctaw people) first. During his time as Chief, he helped build more homes for tribal members. He also worked to make the health care system better. Plus, he improved schools and other learning places.

After Being Chief

After his time as Chief, Beasley Denson continued to help Native American communities. He joined the board of the Native American Rights Fund (NARF). This group is a law firm that works to protect the rights of Native Americans and their tribes.

For example, in 2016, NARF helped challenge a new law in North Dakota. This law made it harder for Native Americans to vote because it did not accept tribal ID cards. A court agreed that the law was unfair. It said Native Americans could use other forms of ID to vote in the 2016 election.

Denson is also the treasurer for the Sovereign Nations Alliance. This group works to help Native American tribes achieve their goals with the federal government.

About the Choctaw Tribe

The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians (MBCI) has about 9,660 members. It is the only tribe in Mississippi that is officially recognized by the United States government. The Tribe offers many services to its members. These include schools, a hospital, medical clinics, police and fire protection, courts, and care centers for older people.

The Choctaw Indian Reservation covers about 35,000 acres (140 square kilometers) of land. This land is in ten different counties in Mississippi. The federal government holds this land in trust for the Choctaw Tribe.

The Tribe has eight official communities: Pearl River, Red Water, Bogue Chitto, Crystal Ridge, Standing Pine, Tucker, Conehatta, and Bogue Homa.

Pearl River is in Neshoba County. It is the largest Choctaw Indian community. It is also where the Tribal government offices are located, along with the Pearl River Resort.