The Virginia Department of Historic Resources will dedicate a marker this week to recount the ambush of Indian leaders. This incident occured during the 1623 peace parley with English Soldiers.
One of the speakers is Pamunky Indian Chief William P. Miles.
It is interesting to note that newly released data from the United States Census Bureau on population in Central Virginia includes 20 cities and counties. The Census Bureau label the Virginia Indians as American Indian/Alaska Native. The Indian race account for .35% of the population in Central Virginia.
These 2007 statitics not only verify Indians still exits, but classify them as a race and not ethinic group. View the full report in the Richmond Times Dispatch, August 10, 2008 edition, section A15, titled, Diversity by the numbers.
Sunday, August 10, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Chief of the Chickahominy
In a conversation with the Richmond Times Dispatch Chief Stephen Adkins conveys his optimistic view of the success for federal recognition by the Virginia Indian Tribes. He outlines the details of the tribes success with state recognition and their goal of federal recognition. He describes what the tribes will receive if they gain federal recognition and the support they have and continue to receive to help gain federal recognition.
Read the full article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch July 20, 2008, Section E; A Conversation with the Times-Dispatch - Stephen Adkins, Chief of the Chickahominy.
Read the full article in the Richmond Times-Dispatch July 20, 2008, Section E; A Conversation with the Times-Dispatch - Stephen Adkins, Chief of the Chickahominy.
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
Public Support
In a June letter to the U.S. Senate Committee on Indian Affairs, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine asked the committee to schedule a markup date of the Thomasina E. Jordan Indian Tribes of Virginia Federal Recognition.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the bill in May 2007. The next step in the process is for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to approve the bill and send it to the Senate for a full vote.
Additional support from Virginia state Senator Jim Webb who also communicated with the Committee on Indian Affairs, Chairman Senator Byron Dorgan, and the committee's staff, urging them to mark up the bill.
Kaine's letter reiterated Webb's requests and remarked that the bill has made progress during the 110th session of Congress as evidenced by its approval by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2007. To prevent the lost of all the work so far Kaine urged the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to take action.
The Virginia Indian Tribal Alliance for Life, an independent public organization that supports Virginia Indians, has worked closely with Webb and Kaine's staff, asking the governor for a letter to express his support.
Time will be the judge to tell if the governor's letter will influence the Committee on Indian Affairs to make efforts to markup of the bill. Public support is critical to the pursuit of federal recognition since Virginia tribes have not received federal recognition yet, especially one year after the commemoration of Jamestown's 400th anniversary.
The Virginia tribes are distinctive because unlike other American tribes that have federal recognition when they signed peace treaties with the federal government, tribes in Virginia signed their peace treaties with the British monarchy. However, while the Virginia tribes have received official recognition from the commonwealth of Virginia, acknowledgment and federal recognition has been slow to come partly due to the systematic mistreatment over the past century.
A "paper genocide" enforced by the passage of the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 for nearly 40 years changed Virginia Indians' racial designations from Indians to "colored" on birth, marriage and death certificates. The complex BIA process, which is the normal procedure to obtain federal recognition, but because of the paper genocide make this route all but impossible.
The U.S. House of Representatives approved the bill in May 2007. The next step in the process is for the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs to approve the bill and send it to the Senate for a full vote.
Additional support from Virginia state Senator Jim Webb who also communicated with the Committee on Indian Affairs, Chairman Senator Byron Dorgan, and the committee's staff, urging them to mark up the bill.
Kaine's letter reiterated Webb's requests and remarked that the bill has made progress during the 110th session of Congress as evidenced by its approval by the U.S. House of Representatives in 2007. To prevent the lost of all the work so far Kaine urged the Senate Indian Affairs Committee to take action.
The Virginia Indian Tribal Alliance for Life, an independent public organization that supports Virginia Indians, has worked closely with Webb and Kaine's staff, asking the governor for a letter to express his support.
Time will be the judge to tell if the governor's letter will influence the Committee on Indian Affairs to make efforts to markup of the bill. Public support is critical to the pursuit of federal recognition since Virginia tribes have not received federal recognition yet, especially one year after the commemoration of Jamestown's 400th anniversary.
The Virginia tribes are distinctive because unlike other American tribes that have federal recognition when they signed peace treaties with the federal government, tribes in Virginia signed their peace treaties with the British monarchy. However, while the Virginia tribes have received official recognition from the commonwealth of Virginia, acknowledgment and federal recognition has been slow to come partly due to the systematic mistreatment over the past century.
A "paper genocide" enforced by the passage of the Racial Integrity Act of 1924 for nearly 40 years changed Virginia Indians' racial designations from Indians to "colored" on birth, marriage and death certificates. The complex BIA process, which is the normal procedure to obtain federal recognition, but because of the paper genocide make this route all but impossible.
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Historical Documents
The instructions for the Virginia Colony in 1606 were:
when you are on the coast of Virginia, you shall do your best endeavor to find out a safe port in the entrance of some navigable river . . . the second instruction was you must in no case suffer any of the native people of the country to inhabit between you and the sea coast . . . in all your passages you must have great care not to offend the naturals [natives] . . . your discoverers that pass over land with hired guides . . . never trust the country people with the carriage of your weapons . . . above all things, do not advertise the killing of any of your men, that the country people may know it; if they perceive that they are but common men, and that with the loss of many of theirs they diminish any part of yours, they will make many adventures upon you.
The first Virginia Charter (April 10, 1606) states:
And that they shall or lawfullie may establishe and cawse to be made a coine, to passe currant there betwene the people of those severall Colonies for the more ease of trafiique and bargaining betweene and amongest them and the natives there, of such mettall and in such manner and forme as the same severall Counsells there shall limitt and appointe.
The second Virginia Charter (May 23, 1609) lacks language to signify natives or Indians.
The Third Virginia Charter (March 12, 1612) mentions uninhabited lands.
An Ordinance and Constitution of the Virginia Company in
| Peace Treaty Between The Assateague and Pocomoke Indians and Charles Calvert, Governor of Maryland 1722 were articles of peace and amity concluded and agreed upon between the Right Honorable Charles Absolute Lord and Proprietor of this province of Maryland and Knosulm and Wassaunge Chiefs of the Assateague and Pocomoke Indians on behalf of themselves and the Indians under their subjections this 22nd day of October 1722 . . . firmation where of the Honorable Charles Calvert, Esq. Governor in Chief in behalf of his said Lordship and the said Knosulm and Wassounge on behalf of themselves and the Indians under their subjection have signed here to in presence of his Lordships Council and of several of the Great Men of the Indians the day and year above written and the Great Seal of this province is hereunto affixed. |
The Treaty between Virginia and the Indians, 1677 is another historical document that identifies the Virginia Indians.
Sunday, April 20, 2008
Federal Acknowledgement Process
The process to attain Federal Recognition by American Indians is the Federal Acknowledgement Process. It has been audited and found to be not effective. Can it be fixed?
The Senate on Indians Affairs Committee after their business meeting will hold an OVERSIGHT HEARING on Recommendations for Improving the Federal Acknowledgment Process. Thursday, April 24, 20089:00 AMSD - 562
I will publish the results of that meeting when they are made available.
The Senate on Indians Affairs Committee after their business meeting will hold an OVERSIGHT HEARING on Recommendations for Improving the Federal Acknowledgment Process. Thursday, April 24, 20089:00 AMSD - 562
I will publish the results of that meeting when they are made available.
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