Video: Lumbee recognition in North Carolina

By Billy Ball, Staff Reports

January 7, 2026

NC’s Lumbee Tribe is headed for federal recognition after decades of waiting. Cardinal & Pine Senior Editor Billy Ball talked about it recently on PBS NC’s “State Lines.”

NC’s Lumbee Tribe is on the verge of federal recognition after decades of waiting. Cardinal & Pine Senior Editor Billy Ball talked about it recently on PBS NC’s “State Lines.”

A provision in the National Defense Authorization Act granted federal recognition for the Lumbee—bringing with that expanded federal funding and services. The Lumbee are recognized by the state of NC but not the federal government. The tribe has been calling for recognition for generations, but promises from Democrats and Republicans alike haven’t crossed the finish line.

Denied Federal Recognition for a Century, Biden and Trump Promise Change for NC’s Lumbee Tribe

The US House and Senate passed the act in December. President Donald Trump signed it soon after. [Editor’s Note: This episode was filmed before the Senate vote on the bill.] It passed over the objections of NC’s Cherokee, who claim that the Lumbee haven’t proven they are one tribe descended from Native people. The Lumbee dispute that and say the tribe has been relegated to a second tier status because of the lack of recognition.

The Lumbee will reportedly become the largest federally recognized tribe east of the Mississippi, with more than 55,000 members mostly living in or around Robeson County and southeastern NC.

🎥 PBS NC

Authors

Billy Ball

Billy Ball is Cardinal & Pine's senior newsletter editor. He’s covered local, state, and national politics, government, education, criminal justice, the environment, and immigration in North Carolina for almost two decades. His reporting and commentary have earned state, regional, and national awards. He's also the founder of The Living South, a journalism project about the most interesting people in the American South.

Have a story tip? Reach Billy at [email protected]. For local reporting that connects the dots, from policy to people, sign up for Billy’s newsletter.

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