Tar heel junior historian [2005 : fall, v.45 : no.1]

States with the Largest American Indian- Alaska Native Populations Persons reported as American Indian- A la ska Native in combination with other races, or alone, 2000 U.S. Census California 627,562 333,346 Oklahoma 391,949 273,230 Arizona 292,552 255,879 Texas 215,599 118,362 New Mexico 191,475 173.483 New York 171,581 82,461 Washington 158.940 93.301 North Carolina 131,736 99,551 Michigan 124,412 58,479 Alaska 119.241 98,043 A total of 4,1 19,301 people were counted as American Indian and Alaska Native alone or in combination with other races; 2,475,956 of those were counted as American Indian and Alaska Native alone. Along with Florida, these 10 states include 62 percent of the nation's Indian population. Source: ‘www.census.gov/prod2002pubs/c2kbr0 1 - I5.pdf and related sites ing programs and initiatives in Indian communities. • N.C. Advisory Council on Indian Education — The com¬ mission gets nominations from member tribes and organizations and forwards them to the State Board of Education for appointment. At the request of the commission, the General Assembly created this council. It reviews and studies the educational needs and concerns of American Indian students in North Carolina; makes recommendations to the State Board of Education as needed; and publishes an annual report. • N.C. Indian Economic Development Initiative (NCIEDI) — The chairperson of the commission's Economic Development Committee serves as the chairperson of NCIEDI, a nonprofit development organiza¬ tion. The commission created the NCIEDI as part of its year 2000 strategic plan. Its pur¬ pose is to study the econom¬ ic development needs of American Indian communi¬ ties, conduct surveys, and develop plans to create job opportunities as well as create or expand businesses. • N.C. Indian Cultural Center — The commission gets nominations from member tribes and organizations and appoints members to this center's board of directors. State statute authorizes a nonprofit organization to manage the center, located in Pembroke, and to plan programs and activities focused on the state's Indian culture. The commission meets every three months to address needs and con¬ cerns. Through all of these efforts, the state's American Indian citizens keep moving forward. - The primary North Carolina statutes related to the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs are found in Chapter 143B-404 through 411, and Chapter 71 A. Do you know how to look up statutes, bills, and other information related to the General Assembly? Access www.ncga.state.nc.us. The State and Its Tribes by Gregory A. Richardson ased on my experience as executive director of the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs, I have found that many of our state's citizens are unaware that North Carolina has the largest American Indian population east of the Mississippi River and the eighth-largest Indian population in the United States. As noted by the 2000 U.S. Census, 99,551 American Indians lived in North Carolina, making up 1.24 percent of the population. This total is for people identifying themselves as American Indian alone. The number is more than 130,000 when including American Indian in combination with other races. The State of North Carolina recognizes eight tribes (see map, page 2): • Eastern Band of Cherokee (tribal reservation in the Mountains) • Coharie (Sampson and Harnett counties) • Lumbee (Robeson and surrounding counties) • Haliwa-Saponi (Halifax and Warren counties) • Sappony (Person County) • Meherrin (Bertie and surrounding counties) • Occaneechi Band of Saponi Nation (Alamance and surrounding counties) 22 himxes courtesy of the N.C Museum of History. • Waccamaw-Siouan (Columbus and Bladen coun¬ ties) North Carolina also has granted legal status to four organizations representing and providing ser¬ vices for American Indians living in urban areas: Guilford Native American Association (Guilford and surrounding counties), Cumberland County Association for Indian People (Cumberland County), Metrolina Native American Association (Mecklenburg and surrounding counties), and Triangle Native American Society (Wake and sur¬ rounding counties). The Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians is the only North Carolina tribe officially recognized by the fed¬ eral government. The federal Lumbee Act of 1956 recognized that tribe in name only Let's explore the relationship between North Carolina and its tribes. You may think of treaties involving land as the only example of government relationships with Indians over the years. But the General Assembly's creation of the N.C, Commission of Indian Affairs in 1971 offers strong evidence that the state has a positive relationship today with its A gourd was used to make this Cherokee Booger Dance mask in 1900. The dance can include mam human and animal characters. 1-oretta Oxendine, a Lumbee, created this sewing basket in 2000 using pine needles, tobacco twine, and tradition¬ al methods.