John Lowery, chairman of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina and a state representative (center) is comforted, as he cries tears of joy. Lowery and other members of the tribe gathered in Washington, D.C., to mark the passage of a bill granting full federal recognition on Wednesday.
Jacquelyn Martin/AP
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Jacquelyn Martin/AP
After years of advocacy, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina has achieved full federal recognition from the U.S. government following a 137-year battle.
Tears of joy were shed by members of the tribe as this significant milestone was reached in Washington, D.C. Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery was present to witness President Trump signing the bill that granted acknowledgment to the tribe at the White House.
“I’m grateful to everyone who has supported us on this journey – from our ancestors in the late 1880s to the present day. Many individuals have contributed to this cause,” Lowery expressed in a video shared on the tribe’s social media platforms.
The Lumbee Fairness Act was included by federal lawmakers in the $900 billion annual military spending package.
The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina boasts a membership of 55,000 individuals. The tribal lands are situated in Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland, and Scotland Counties in the southeastern part of the state.
Full federal recognition provides access to a range of federal resources for tribes. Federally recognized tribes are eligible for federal funding from the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA), offering support for housing, education, and healthcare.
“I believe that the most significant benefit for our tribe will be through Indian Health Services,” Lowery remarked during a press conference on Friday. “Those without health insurance or with high healthcare costs will be able to utilize Indian Health Services for necessary services.”
Upon introduction in the House in 2022, the Congressional Budget Office estimated that the federal government would spend around $250 million over four years to provide health benefits to Lumbee Tribe members through the Indian Health Service.
Federally recognized tribes have rights to self-governance, allowing for greater control over economic development by enabling the BIA to acquire land in trust for the tribe’s benefit.
The Lumbee Tribe initially sought federal recognition in 1888, receiving only partial acknowledgment in 1956.
North Carolina Governor Josh Stein commended the achievement this week, stating, “The state has long acknowledged the Lumbee Tribe,” in a press release. “Full federal recognition will provide members access to federal healthcare, education, housing, childcare, and disaster relief benefits available to other federally recognized tribes, creating economic opportunities for the Tribe and the surrounding community.”
Senator Thom Tillis, R-N.C., sponsored the bipartisan Lumbee Fairness Act in the Senate. He praised Trump in a statement, calling the recognition long overdue for the Lumbee people.
Trump issued a memo in January instructing the Interior Department to aid the tribe in achieving full federal recognition. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians voiced opposition to the recognition. Tribal leaders argued that the Lumbee bypassed proper federal eligibility procedures requiring historical evidence of Native heritage. The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians had been the sole federally recognized tribe in North Carolina. The Lumbee is now the 575th federally recognized tribe in the U.S. “I am certain that our ancestors are looking down on us with joy today,” Lowery declared in a statement as the bill headed to Trump’s desk. “After decades of waiting, praying, and fighting, our Tribe has finally overcome a barrier that once seemed insurmountable.”
