It is located "on" the Fort Berthold Indian Reservation in McLean County, North Dakota, United States.

[6] It is considered the primary community of the Arikara (Sahnish) people and is named for Chief White Shield.

White Shield was founded in 1954 to replace the town of Elbowoods (Arikara: hiswíkAt ([hisˈwikə̥t][7]), which was inundated by the creation of Lake Sakakawea.

The name honors White Shield, an Arikara chief and a scout for General George Armstrong Custer.

[8] According to the United States Census Bureau, the CDP has a total area of 3.8 square miles (9.8 km2), all land.