Choctaw Princess
Current Princess
2024 – 2025 Choctaw Indian Princess
Leilani Elyse Allen
Leilani Elyse Allen is the 21-year-old daughter of Marsha Allen and is from the Tucker Community. Her grandparents are Leslie & James Willis. Leilani has two siblings, Malakai and Almera. She has a dachshund named Gus and a turtle named Oogway, after the tortoise in Kung Fu Panda.
She will graduate from Meridian Community College in August 2024 with an associate’s in business information systems. Leilani has plans to attend Mississippi State University to get her bachelor’s degree in business information systems. She hopes to become a web developer one day. Leilani graduated from Choctaw Central High School in May 2021.
A strong supporter of Choctaw Tribal Schools’ Exceptional Education Program, Leilani continues to volunteer for the Special Olympics programs held at Choctaw Central High School. She also participates, alongside her family, in the St. Jude Memphis Marathon Weekend in December in honor of her cousin Lucas who passed away from brain cancer in 2021. Leilani wore a gray and white Choctaw dress in the Pageant to honor her cousin, as gray is the designated color for brain cancer awareness.
Leilani enjoys playing tennis; reading thrillers, her favorite being The Silent Patient; and taking walks with her dog Gus. Leilani’s favorite Fair activity is watching the thrilling action of Chahta Kabotcha (Choctaw Stickball)! She invites everyone to experience a game of Chahta Kabotcha.
Past Princesses
A tradition that started in 1955, the Choctaw Indian Princess is crowned each year on the first night of the Choctaw Indian Fair. The first official princess, Patsy Sam Buffington, was selected at the tender age of 12, thus beginning a distinguished legacy. The Choctaw Princess serves as the Tribe’s Ambassador.
Patsy (Sam) Buffington
1955 - 1956
Sponsor: Tucker Development Club
Abbie (Gibson) Phillips
1956 - 1957
Sponsor: Conehatta Development Club
Shirley (Chapman) Briscoe
1957 - 1958
Sponsor: Bogue Homa Development Club
Shirley (York) Kyle
1958 - 1959
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Donna (Farmer) Denson
1959 - 1960
Sponsor: Conehatta Development Club
Earline Hickman
1960 - 1961
Sponsor: Bogue Chitto Development Club
Annie Ryan (Bell) Billie
1961 - 1962
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Loretta (Steve) Wilson
1962 - 1963
Sponsor: Tucker Development Club
Sally Ann (Bell) Bread
1963 - 1964
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Mary Ann (Henry) Mason
1964 - 1965
Sponsor: Bogue Chitto Development Club
Ruth Ann (Farmer) Ferris
1965 - 1966
Sponsor: Conehatta Development Club
Doris Ann Thompson
1966 - 1967
Sponsor: Bogue Chitto Development Club
Lois (Willis) Keats
1967 - 1968
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Susie Mae Henry
1968 - 1969
Sponsor: Bogue Chitto Development Club
Joanne (McMillan) Cleveland
1969 - 1970
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Rena Jane Morris
1970 - 1971
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Lari York
1971 - 1972
Sponsor: CCHS Honor Society
Ellen Gail (Farmer) Wilson
1972 - 1973
Sponsor: Conehatta Development Club
Linda (Willis) Alex
1973 - 1974
Sponsor: Employment & Training Program
Patricia (Martin) Gibson
1974 - 1975
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Alma (Willis) Brennen
1975 - 1976
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Velma (Sam) Henry
1976 - 1977
Sponsor: Tucker Development Club
Phyliss (John) Anderson
1977 - 1978
Sponsor: Red Water Development Club
Brenda (Billie) Bernard
1978 - 1979
Sponsor: Tucker Development Club
Karen Lilly
1979 - 1980
Sponsor: Upward Bound Program
Dee Ann (Gibson) McCoy
1980 - 1981
Sponsor: Family & Community Services
Bernadine (Hickman) Dixon
1981 - 1982
Sponsor: Bogue Chitto Development Club
Anita Jim
1982 - 1983
Sponsor: Department of Education
Loriann (Denson) Ahshapanek
1983 - 1984
Sponsor: Department of Education
Marion (Ben) Sockey
1984 - 1985
Sponsor: Department of Education
Amanda Bell
1985 - 1986
Sponsor: Chahta Enterprise
Iris (Wesley) Navarro
1986 - 1987
Sponsor: Family & Community Services
Angela Sue Hundley
1987 - 1988
Sponsor: Chahta Enterprise
Melanie Dianne Ben
1988 - 1989
Sponsor: Family & Community Services
Shannon Jeanette Keats
1989 - 1990
Sponsor: Choctaw Residential Center
Natasha Louann Willis
1990 - 1991
Sponsor: Choctaw Pallet Company
Chassidy Georgina (Bell) Wilson
1991 - 1992
Sponsor: Chahta Enterprise
Ashley Allison (Hickman) Billy
1992 - 1993
Sponsor: Bogue Chitto Development Club
Misty Dawn Brescia
1993 - 1994
Sponsor: Choctaw Electronic Enterprise
Chantell Blanche (Shumake) Bacon
1994 - 1995
Sponsor: Choctaw Manufacturing Enterprise
Karla Monique Keats
1995 - 1996
Sponsor: Silver Star Hotel & Casino
Summer Raven (Saunders) Cole
1996 - 1997
Sponsor: Choctaw Housing Authority
Lynn Dena (Allen) Parkerson
1997 - 1998
Sponsor: Silver Star Hotel & Casino
Lindsey Timple Gibson
1998 - 1999
Sponsor: Silver Star Hotel & Casino
Erica Lenore (Dan) Farve
1999 - 2000
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Latisha Denell Stephens
2000 - 2001
Sponsor: Choctaw Electronics Enterprise
Shawntye Nicole (Vaughn) Johnson
2001 - 2002
Sponsor: Dancing Rabbit Golf Club
Cheriena Brooke Ben
2002 - 2003
Sponsor: Golden Moon Hotel & Casino
Lena Latoya Tucker
2003 - 2004
Sponsor: Golden Moon Hotel & Casino
Delana Nastassia Willis
2004 - 2005
Sponsor: Youth Opportunity Program
Jessica Nichole (Greer) Black
2005 - 2006
Sponsor: Golden Moon Hotel & Casino
Ahinah Bree Alex
2006 - 2007
Sponsor: Gaming Properties of Pearl River Resort
Kristen Dawn Tubby
2007 - 2008
Sponsor: Applied Geo Technologies
Tia Faye (Anderson) Grisham
2008 - 2009
Sponsor: Applied Geo Technologies & Chahta Enterprise
Famie Cheyenne Willis
2009 - 2010
Sponsor: Red Water Development Club
Mahlih Rene (Vaughn) Bowden
2010 - 2011
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Kursten Nicole Watkins
2011 - 2012
Sponsor: Choctaw Tribal Schools
Shaye MacKinzie Scott
2012 - 2013
Sponsor: Choctaw Health Center Employees Association
Lanena Grace John
2013 - 2014
Sponsor: MBCI Boys and Girls Club
MeShay LeAnn Jimmie
2014 - 2015
Sponsor: Bogue Chitto Development Club
Emily LeAnn (Shoemake) Bell
2015 - 2016
Sponsor: Trustmark Bank
Autumn Diane McMillan
2016 - 2017
Sponsor: Youth Opportunity Program
Kassie Lann Cox
2017 - 2018
Sponsor: Red Water Development Club
Sydni Jade Tangle
2018 - 2019
Sponsor: Standing Pine Development Club
Alice Monique Keats
2019 - 2021
Sponsor: Pearl River Development Club
Shemah Ladania Crosby
2021 - 2022
Sponsor: Pearl River RV Park
Cadence Raine Nickey
2022 - 2023
Sponsor: Tucker Development Club
Nalani LuzMaria Thompson
2023 - 2024
Sponsor: Morton Construction
Leilani Elyse Allen
2024 - 2025
Sponsor: Choctaw Loan Program
©2024 Mississippi Band of Choctaw Indians