At the time of European exploration, the Powhatan  controlled the river we now know as the James. It was named after King James I of England in 1606 by English men who had traveled to  land aboard the Susan Constant, the Godspeed, and the Discovery. The trip was chartered under the Discovery Doctrine, which gave England the right to govern all non-Christian nations. In this charter, native Americans were characterized as living “in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God.” They were pushed out of their land by English intruders.

We demand that Virginia recognize and honor the history of the Native American people and their culture. Rename the James River as the ‘Powhatan River’.

sources:

nativeamericannetroots.net

thejamesriver.org