Robeson County Archives

Federal report due on Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina’s path to recognition as a tribal nation

PEMBROKE, N.C. (AP) — Members of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina are awaiting the release of a Department of the Interior report that could light a path for federal recognition as a tribal nation. President Donald Trump issued a memo in January directing the department to create a plan to “assist the Lumbee Tribe in obtaining full Federal recognition through legislation or other available mechanisms, including the right to receive full Federal benefits.” The deadline for the plan is Wednesday. The Lumbee since the 1980s have had a difficult time convincing the federal government, members of Congress and some federally-recognized tribes that their claims to Native ancestry are legitimate.… Continue Reading

Trump promised federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe. Will he follow through?

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — When Kamala Harris and Donald Trump campaigned in North Carolina, both candidates courted a state-recognized tribe there whose 55,000 members could have helped tip the swing state. Trump in September promised that he would sign legislation to grant federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe, a distinction that would unlock access to federal funds. He ultimately won North Carolina by more than 3 percentage points, in part due to continued support from Lumbee voters. Now, as Trump prepares to return to the White House in January, the promise will be put to the test. He has Republican allies in Congress on the issue, and now the Lumbee, as well as tribal nations across the country, are watching closely to see what comes next.… Continue Reading

A century after Native Americans got the right to vote, they could put Trump or Harris over the top

RED SPRINGS, N.C. (AP) — In the waning days of the presidential campaign, former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris are courting Native American voters in states where their vote could swing some of the most hotly contested counties in the country. In swing states like Arizona, North Carolina, Michigan and Nevada, the campaigns have targeted Native Americans with radio ads and events featuring speakers like former President Bill Clinton and Donald Trump Jr. Native American voters tend to favor Democrats at a higher rate, but they’re more likely to vote Republican than Latinos or African Americans. And they are one of the least partisan and youngest voting demographics in the country.… Continue Reading