The American Indian and Alaska Native population in Mississippi is growing slowly, according to the U.S. Census Bureau.

The 2000 Census counted 11,652 Native Americans. Estimates from 2006 show the number has increased to 12,280, or 0.4 percent of the population.

The state is home to one federally recognized tribe. The Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians says it has seen enrollment grow by about 100 per year.

"It's good that we're growing and starting to get stronger," Sonja Monk, a mother and full-time student, told The Hattiesburg American.

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Native American numbers grow (The Hattiesburg American 11/14)