Gov. Josh Stein joined the Commission of Indian Affairs on Tuesday to celebrate the Lumbee Tribe’s federal recognition.
The Lumbee tribe was recognized in North Carolina in 1885, but full federal recognition did not come until December 2025 when President Donald Trump signed the Lumbee Fairness Act. It extended federal recognition to the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, making its members eligible for federal services and benefits.
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“We made it,” Lumbee chairman John Lowery said during Tuesday’s celebration.
Stein said Lumbee leaders have helped move the state and their tribe forward for years.
“The history of the Lumbee people and tribe in this state long predates this state’s even existence,” Stein said. “It’s because of them and you that we are here today.”
Full federal recognition now allows members of the tribe access to federal health care, education, housing, child care and disaster relief benefits, including housing programs through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and access to insurance.
Stein said some state agencies help administer several federal benefits.
“That means that tribal and state coordination will become even more important and essential as we move forward,” he added.
Stein said he has directed cabinet agencies to collaborate closely with the Lumbee Tribe as it “continues to build capacity in a range of different areas.”
“From health care to education to economic development to environmental protection, that collaboration will ensure that we maximize the positive impact on Lumbee citizens through this transition and into the future.”
Officials said 68,000 members of the Lumbee tribe call North Carolina home.
“Your history in the states [has] been long intertwined, and the same will be true of our shared future,” Stein said.