NC Commission of Indian Affairs
NC Commission of Indian Affairs
History of the Commission
The NC Commission of Indian Affairs was established to:
- deal fairly and effectively with Indian affairs
- utilize local, State, and federal resources to provide aid and protection for Indians as needs are demonstrated
- hold land in trust for the benefit of State-recognized Indian tribes
- assist Indian communities in social and economic development
- and promote recognition of and the right of Indians to pursue cultural and religious traditions considered by them to be sacred and meaningful to Native Americans.
Legislation
- Creation of NC Commission of Indian Affairs NCGS § 143B-404
- Legal Recognition of American Indian Groups 01 NCAC 15 .0200
About the Commission
The Commission of Indian Affairs consists of 28 members: 21 representatives of the American Indian community, two representatives appointed by the General Assembly, and one representative or their designee appointed by the secretaries of DHHS, DOA, Commerce, DEQ & DOL each.
The following American Indian communities have members on the commission selected by tribal or community consent from the Indian groups that are recognized by the State of North Carolina:
- The Coharie of Sampson and Harnett Counties
- The Eastern Band of the Cherokee Nation
- The Haliwa-Saponi of Halifax, Warren and adjoining counties
- The Lumbee of Robeson, Hoke and Scotland Counties
- The Meherrin of Hertford, Bertie, Northampton and Gates Counties
- The Waccamaw-Siouan from Columbus and Bladen Counties
- The Sappony
- The Cumberland County Association for Indian People
- The Guilford Native Americans
- The Metrolina Native Americans
- The Occaneechi Band of the Sapponi Nation
- The Triangle Native American Society
About the Chair
Governor Roy Cooper appointed Rev. Ricky Burnett chairman of the NC Commission of Indian Affairs on July 31, 2019. The Honorable Brooke Clark, District Court Judge, for Judicial District 16B, Robeson County, NC, conducted the swearing-in ceremony during the annual meeting of the Commission on Sept. 20, 2019, in Raleigh. Burnett is the 10th person to hold this position since the Commission’s establishment in 1972.
Rev. Ricky Burnett was appointed to the NC Commission of Indian Affairs by the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina in March of 2017 to complete the term of Daniel Jones. He has served on the following Committees since his initial appointment to the Commission: Indian Housing, Cultural Resources and Indian Land Trust.
He is a pastor at Pleasant View Baptist Church in Fairmont, NC and is a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. He is currently serving as Speaker of the Tribal Council. Burnett is also very active on the North Carolina Pow-Wow Circuit where he has served as Arena Director and Pow-Wow Coordinator. He is also a military veteran.
Meeting Information
| 2023 Meeting Dates |
|---|
| March 9, 2023 |
| June 1-2, 2023 (Work Session) |
| Sept. 1, 2023 |
| Dec. 1, 2023 |
2023 Commission Members
| Name | Representing | Appointment Date | Term Expires |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lenora Locklear | Coharie | July 1, 2021 | June 30, 2024 |
| Isabell Freeman-Elliott | Coharie | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2025 |
| Gladys Hunt | Cumberland County Association for Indian People | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2025 |
| Helen Cook | Cumberland County Association for Indian People | July 1, 2021 | June 30, 2024 |
| Joshua Rory Welch | Eastern Band of the Cherokee | July 1, 2021 | June 30, 2023 |
| Carolyn West | Eastern Band of the Cherokee | July 1, 2020 | June 30, 2023 |
| DeVane Burnette, Sr. | Guilford Native American Association | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2025 |
| Sheila Kay (Epps) Wilson | Guilford Native American Association | April 21, 2021 | June 30, 2023 |
| Alfred Richardson | Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe | October 18, 2022 | June 30, 2025 |
| Pamela Sunshine Richardson | Haliwa-Saponi Indian Tribe | June 22, 2022 | June 30, 2024 |
| Ricky Burnett (chair) | Lumbee Tribe | July 1, 2021 | June 30, 2024 |
| Larece Hunt | Lumbee Tribe | July 1, 2017 | June 30, 2023 |
| Vernanda (Vee) Oxendine | Lumbee Tribe | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2025 |
| Constance B Mitchell | Meherrin Indian Tribe | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2025 |
| Walter David Baucom | Metrolina Native American Association | July 1, 2021 | June 30, 2024 |
| Rebecca LaClaire | Metrolina Native American Association | July 1, 2020 | June 30, 2023 |
| William Anthony (Tony) Hayes | Occaneechi Band of Saponi Nation | July 1, 2020 | June 30, 2023 |
| Dorothy Stewart Yates | Sappony Tribe | July 1, 2011 | June 30, 2023 |
| Craig D. McMillian | Speaker of the House Appointee | July 13, 2022 | June 30, 2024 |
| Danny Bell | Triangle Native American Society | July 1, 2021 | June 30, 2024 |
| Elton Ray Jacobs | Waccamaw Siouan Tribe | June 1, 2020 | June 30, 2023 |
| Nadine F. Patrick | Waccamaw Siouan Tribe | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2025 |
| Gerald Goolsby | President Pro Tem Appointee | July 1, 2021 | June 30, 2023 |
Officers
| Name | Position | Tribe / Organization | Appointment Date | Term Expires |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ricky Burnett | Chairman | Lumbee Tribe | July 1, 2021 | June 30, 2024 |
| Dorothy Stewart Yates | Vice-Chairman | Sappony Tribe | July 1, 2017 | June 30, 2023 |
| Nadine Patrick | Secretary/Treasurer | Waccamaw Siouan Tribe | July 1, 2022 | June 30, 2025 |
State Officials
| Official | Department | Designee |
|---|---|---|
| Secretary Pamela Brewington Cashwell | NC Department of Administration | David Elliott |
| Commissioner Josh Dobson | NC Department of Labor | Julie Ryan |
| Secretary Machelle Sanders | NC Department of Commerce | Betty Marrow-Taylor |
| Secretary Elizabeth S. Biser | NC Department of Environment Quality | Sharon Martin |
| Secretary Kody H. Kinsley | NC Department of Health and Human Services | Debra Farrington |
State Official - Ex Officio
| Name | Position | Department |
|---|---|---|
| John Mintz, State Archaeologist | Advisor | Cultural Resources |
Youth Ex Officio
| Organization | Member |
|---|---|
| NC Native American Youth Organization (NCNAYO) | Kaloni Walton, Co-Chair and Dylan Hammonds, Co-Chair |
| NC Native American Council on Higher Education (NCNACOHE) | Joshua Lamar Richardson |