Governor Proclaims American Indian Heritage Month 2023

WHEREAS, American Indian Heritage Month honors and celebrates the important history and heritage of tribal communities across the state, who have lived in the geographic area of North Carolina for more than 12,000 years; and

WHEREAS, this year’s theme, “Many Tribes-One People” underscores the unity and strength, as well as the rich history and culture, of North Carolina’s tribal communities; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina is home to eight state recognized tribes: the Eastern Band of Cherokee, Coharie, Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, Haliwa-Saponi, Sappony, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, and the Waccamaw-Siouan, which hold seats on the NC Commission of Indian Affairs as per the General Statutes of the State of North Carolina; and

WHEREAS, our state is home to four Urban Indian Organizations, which also hold membership on the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs: the Cumberland County Association for Indian People, the Guilford Native American Association, the Metrolina Native American Association, and the Triangle Native American Society; and

WHEREAS, today, there are more than 130,000 North Carolinians who identify as American Indian in North Carolina, living in all 100 counties across the state, according to the 2020 U.S. Census; and

WHEREAS, North Carolina’s tribal communities represent the second-largest American Indian population east of the Mississippi River and the seventh-largest American Indian population in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs, the North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission, the North Carolina Museum of History, and North Carolina's Indian Tribes and Urban Indian Organizations collaborate to develop American Indian Heritage Month celebrations each year, increasing awareness of American Indian history and related current issues; and

WHEREAS, the State of North Carolina encourages all residents to learn more about the rich history of American Indians in our state and commit to preserving American Indian heritage and traditions for generations to come;

NOW, THEREFORE, I, ROY COOPER, Governor of the State of North Carolina, do hereby proclaim November, 2023, as “AMERICAN INDIAN HERITAGE MONTH” in North Carolina, and commend its observance to all citizens.