After decades of denials, North Carolina’s Tuscarora Indians take a step closer to recognition

Rep. Ed Goodwin (R-Chowan) has repeatedly advocated for the recognition of the Tuscarora Indian tribe in North Carolina, culminating in his 2024 push for House Bill 600 to grant them state recognition and a seat on the State Commission of Indian Affairs. The Tuscarora seek recognition to preserve their culture, despite opposition claiming they are a splinter group of the Lumbee Tribe, which recently achieved federal recognition.