The Choctaw people are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States (modern-day Mississippi, Florida, Alabama, and Louisiana). Today the Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians and the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, where the majority of Choctaw reside, are the two federally recognized Choctaw tribes.

The states with the largest population of Choctaw are (1) Oklahoma with over 79,000, (2) Texas with over 24,000, (3) California with over 23,000, and (4) Mississippi with over 9,000.

The Choctaw language, a member of the Muskogean family, is closely related to Chickasaw and Creek. The Choctaw language is the essence of tribal culture, tradition, and identity. Many Choctaw adults learned to speak the language before speaking English. The language is a part of daily life on the Mississippi Choctaw reservation.

Choctaw are Protestants, Roman Catholics and even adhere to traditional tribal beliefs.