Coharie Intra-tribal Council, Inc.
State-recognized tribe in North Carolina, United States
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The Coharie Intra-tribal Council, Inc., is a state-recognized tribe in North Carolina.[3] The headquarters are in Clinton, North Carolina.[5]
Official seal of the Coharie Intra-tribal Council, Inc. | |
| Named after | Great Coharie Creek, Little Coharie Creek |
|---|---|
| Formation | 1911,[1] 1978[2] |
| Type | state-recognized tribe,[3] nonprofit organization[2] |
| Tax ID no. | EIN 56-1187928[2] |
| Location | |
| Members | 2,700[4] |
Official language | English |
Tribal Administrator | Greg Jacobs[4] |
Chairperson | Phillip Strickland[4] |
Chief | Ammie Gordon "Gordie" [4] |
| Revenue | $835,656[5] (2019) |
| Expenses | $743,463[5] (2019) |
| Website | coharietribe |
Formerly called | Croatan Indians of Samson County,[1] Coharie Tribe of North Carolina,[6] Coharie Indian People, Inc.[7] |
Formerly known as the Coharie Indian People, Inc.,[7] and the Coharie Tribe of North Carolina, the group's 2,700 members primarily live in Sampson and Harnett counties.[4] Their chief is Ammie Gordon "Gordie".[4]
The group identifies as descendants of "certain tribes of Indians originally inhabiting the coastal regions of North Carolina."[6] In 1910, residents of Herrings Township along the Coharie creeks identified as being of Croatan descent.[8] Genealogist Paul Heinegg claims the group is of invented origins.[9][10]
History
The Coharie descend from free Black families who lived in North Carolina in 1830.[11][9] Scholar Renate Bartl labels them as one of the triracial groups present in the state, who claim Native American identity from local groups, even those extinct or deported.[10]
Nonprofit organization
In 1978, Coharie Intra Tribal Inc. formed as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in Clinton, North Carolina, and Freddie Carter serves as the organization's principal officer.[2] Its mission is to "provide housing, economic development, health, social services assistance and maintenance of the tribal roll for the members of the Coharie Tribe."[2] They have four employees.[5]
The organization operates a HUD/NAHASDA housing project with $557,380 in revenue and $550,186 in expenses for 20 unites.[2] Another program removed debris from the Coharie River after a hurricane, and another provided COVID-19 relief to members.[2]
Leadership positions, as of January 2026, included:
- Chairperson: Phillip Strickland[4]
- Tribal Administrator: Greg Jacobs
- Vice Chairperson: Sharon Williams
- Secretary: Magic Gomez
- Council Member: Daniel Robbins
- Council Member: Gnaynelle Ammons Faircloth
- Council Member: Dawn Chumley
- Council Member: Shelby Autry[citation needed]
State recognition
In 1911, North Carolina first recognized the Croatan Indians of Samson County.[1]
The state of North Carolina formalized its recognition process for Native American tribes and created the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs (NCCIA) in 1971.[12] North Carolina formally recognized the Coharie Tribe of North Carolina as a state-recognized tribe on July 20, 1971.[6]
The state recognized the site of their historic tribal school with a historical marker in 2024. Built in 1901, the children of the tribe attended the school for decades due to segregation. The tribal headquarters is now located at the site.[13]
Petition for federal recognition
Romie G. Simmons sent a letter of intent to petition for federal recognition on behalf of the Coharie Intra-tribal Council, Inc., on March 13, 1981.[14] The organization never followed through with a petition for federal recognition as a Native American tribe.[15]
Activities
The Coharie Indian Cultural Pow Wow takes place in every September every year.[16]
E. Sequoyah Simermeyer, a member of the Coharie Intra-tribal Council and Navajo descendant, served as a Government Affairs Group Associate with the National Congress of American Indians and became a counsel to the assistant secretary in the US Department of the Interior Bureau of Indian Affairs in 2007.[17]
See also
- Dark Water Rising, a Coharie and Lumbee indie/blues band
- Racial isolates in the United States