Seal of the Lumbee Tribe, NC, by Elevatiorrailfan, Wikimedia Commons
The National Congress of American Indians (NCAI) has officially apologized for anti-Lumbee Tribe literature passed out at its Las Vegas convention in October 2024.
The Lumbee Tribe has been recognized by the US Congress as American Indians since 1956, but lacks the government-to-government relationship of that fully recognized tribes are entitled to. The Lumbee number about 55,000 citizens, making them the largest tribe east of the Mississippi.
The anti-Lumbee literature claimed that recognizing the Lumbee would undermine sovereignty for all American Indians. Ironically, the Lumbee Tribe is a member of NCAI.
The NCAI issued an official apology, stating that in the future all materials distributed at their events would be submitted beforehand for approval.
For the content of the offending material and the apology, click here:
Levi Rickert, “NCAI Apologizes to Lumbee Tribe for Inflammatory Materials Distributed at Conference, ”Native News Online.net, October 30, 2024
