(CNN) The Native American population grew to its largest size in generations after years of fighting for an accurate Census tally. In 2020, the number of people who identified as Native American and Alaska Native (AIAN) alone and in combination with another race was 9.7 million, up from 5.2 million in 2010. "I put Native American because we are Indigenous from the Americas, but a lot of people still have a lot of confusion as what to choose." That number grew about 150% in the past decade and makes nearly 31% of the total American Indian and Alaska Native population. Before that change, millions of people had reported mixed Native American ancestry for decades, Liebler said.

Source: CNN August 19, 2021 19:18 UTC