We, the undersigned, respectfully call upon the North Carolina Highway Historical Marker
Advisory Committee and the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources to
reconsider the denial of the proposed historical marker recognizing the Tuscarora Nation of
North Carolina in Robeson County near Drowning Creek, also known as the Lumber River.
Historical recognition should not depend upon shifting political climates or legislative
convenience. Public history programs exist to preserve and communicate documented historical
truth, not to delay or condition recognition when that truth becomes politically sensitive.

This request is rooted in documented Tuscarora history, continuity and public historical integrity.
Historical markers do not create history. They acknowledge history. Their purpose is to inform
the public about documented people, places, events and communities that have shaped North
Carolina. The question before the Committee is therefore not whether the Tuscarora Nation of
North Carolina should receive political recognition, but whether the documented historical
evidence presented in the application merits public interpretation through the state's historical
marker program.

The Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina is one of the oldest documented Native Nations
connected to what is now North Carolina and the United States. Long before the formation of the
colony, the state or the United States, Tuscarora towns, trade networks, diplomatic relationships
and communities existed throughout eastern and central North Carolina. This continuity is
supported through treaties, colonial records oral traditions, archaeological findings, scholarly
research and sustained community presence.

The proposed marker specifically addressed documented Tuscarora continuity in the Robeson
County region near Drowning Creek/Lumber River - an area historically connected to Tuscarora
communities across multiple generations. The application was supported by extensive
documentation and letters of endorsement from respected organizations, institutions and regional
partners, including The Waccamaw Indian People of South Carolina, The Robesonian, The News
Journal, North Carolina Central University, North Carolina State University, Comunidad de
Durham, the Center for Biological Diversity, Forest Keeper, Friends of Big Ivy and the I Heart
Pisgah Coalition.

The Committee's reliance on pending legislation - House Bill 600 - as justification for
withholding approval presents a fundamental inconsistency. Whether such legislation is enacted,
amended or rejected, it cannot alter, resolve or negate the historical evidence presented in the
application. The evidentiary basis for Tuscarora continuity remains unchanged.

As a result, legislative status cannot logically determine the validity of historical documentation.
The historical record and the political process operate in separate domains and conflating the two
undermines the integrity of public history review. Indigenous Nations possess the inherent right
to define and maintain their identity according to their own histories, cultural continuity and                                                                                                                         community knowledge. These rights exist independently of legislative classification or political
recognition frameworks.

Equally important, the Committee's decision stands in contrast to established practice across
North Carolina. Multiple state and federal agencies, county governments, universities,
conservation organizations and public institutions already engage in documented collaboration
and consultation with the Tuscarora Nation of North Carolina. These include coordination with
the North Carolina Department of Transportation on environmental and wildlife initiatives,
public cultural programming through county and library systems and educational outreach with
academic institutions.

These existing relationships demonstrate a consistent reality: the Tuscarora Nation of North
Carolina is already an active participant in North Carolina's public historical, cultural, tribal,
educational and environmental landscape. The Nation's contributions are acknowledged through
ongoing partnerships that serve communities across the state.

Approval of this marker would neither confer political recognition nor alter the legal status of
any tribe. It would simply acknowledge documented historical continuity presented through the
established historical marker application process. The marker program exists to interpret and
communicate North Carolina's history to the public. It should not be used as a substitute for
political or legislative decision-making.

We therefore respectfully request that the Committee reevaluate this application based solely on
its documented historical merits, supporting evidence and established precedent in public history
recognition. A consistent, evidence-based review process is essential to maintaining public trust
in North Carolina's historical institutions.

By signing this petition, we affirm that Tuscarora history should be recognized based on
evidence, continuity and historical integrity. We support the fair consideration of the Tuscarora
Nation of North Carolina's historical marker application and urge approval based upon the
documented record without political interference or procedural delay.