I am a proud member of The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. We as natives are in fear of eradication from history all together. Being a Native American is the the ultimate testament of survival. We have been indigenous to this land since the beginning of time. History has Christopher Columbus of being the one the discover American by accident. We greeted the him with open arms and hearts. From the moment he touched our land  to The battle of Wounded Knee  in 1890 over 500 million native lives were slaughtered for this land. 

In 1830 the Indian Removal Act was signed into to law. It was a then modern day GENOCIDE.  This act discriminated against our people and brought death the vast population of our people. This extended until 1841. This would lead to The Trail of tears. Nearly 60,000 Natives were forcibly removed from the land of our ancestors. President Jackson viewed us as a foreign nation. Historians quoted Jackson  as this was a "wise and humane policy". He believed the removL was a act of mercy.

We represent less than 2% of the population. We live in the poorest places in the United States. World War 2 was one because of a sacred code by the Wind talkers. These messages were of uttermost importance as they monitored the enemies movements, this help defeat the enemy. This code has never been broken.

The Lemhi Shoshone Sacagawea 16 year old girl  helped explores Lewis and Clark explore the Louisiana Territory. When the Corps needed horses to cross the Rockie's Shoshone Indians provided them.

In 1868 bands of Native Americans along with the United States entered in to one of many broken treaties.. This would establish The Great Sioux reservation.. When gold was discovered in the black hills on  Dakota territory.. Whites descended on our land. Once the discovery of gold the United States redrawed the boundaries of the treaty. "From the time we signed, we were put into poverty and to this day our people are still in poverty"  Spotted Tail.

 Our people deserve a day of rest to honor our great warriors and chiefs who's blood has been spilled for this land. Please stand with me in a show of  solidarity the be recognized