What is state recognition?
State recognition is the formal declaration of recognition to an American Indian tribe located in Virginia by the Commonwealth. Nine of the currently recognized tribes were recognized through the state legislature, by a bill passed through the House of Delegates and State Senate and signed by the Governor. Two tribes were recognized through a treaty between Virginia and a tribal amalgamation.
In 2016, the legislature passed and the Governor signed HB814, which allows the Secretary of the Commonwealth to create a Virginia Indian advisory board. The advisory board counsels the legislator and Governor on non-recognized tribes seeking recognition.
Mattaponi
- Chief Mark Custalow
mcustalow1@gmail.com - Assistant Chief: Leon Custalow
Mattaponitwofeathers@aol.com
Contact information
804-353-5908
1314 Mattaponi Reservation Circle,
West Point ,VA 23181
Pamunkey Tribe
- Chief Robert Gray
robert.gray@pamunkey.org - First Assistant Chief Tim Langston
tim.langston@pamunkey.org - Tribal Administrator Debra Hansen
debra.hansen@pamunkey.org
Contact information
804-843-2353
1054 Pocahontas Trail, King William, VA 23086
Chickahominy
- Chief Stephen Adkins
stephen.adkins@chickahominytribe.org - 1st Assistant Chief: Wayne Adkins
wayne.adkins@chickahominytribe.org - 2nd Assistant Chief: Reggie Stewart
reggie.stewart@chickahominytribe.org - Deputy Tribal Administrator: Lindsey Johnson
lindsey.johnson@chickahominytribe.org
Contact information
804-829-2027
8200 Lott Cary Road, Providence Forge, VA 23140
Eastern Chickahominy
- Chief Gerald "Jerry" A. Stewart
jerry.stewart@cit-ed.org - Assistant Chief: Matthew Adkins
matt.adkins@cied.org - Tribal Adiministrator: Penny Wynn
penny.wynn@cit-ed.org
Contact information
804-966-7815
2895 Mt. Pleasant Road, Providence Forge, VA 23140
Rappahannock
- Chief Anne Richardson
- Assistant Cheif Mark Fortune
- Tribal Administrator Chief Richardson
- Chief Financial Officer Kathy Jones
Contact information
804-769-0260
5036 Indian Neck Rd, St Stephens Church, VA 23148
info@rappahannocktribe.org
Upper Mattaponi
- Chief W. Frank Adams
chief@umitribe.org - Assistant Chief Tom Tupponce
assistantchief@umitribe.org - Tribal Administrator Reggie Tupponce
Contact information
admin@umitribe.org
804-769-0041
13476 King William Road, King William, VA 23086
Nansemond
- Chief Keith Anderson
- Tribal Administrator Thomas Badamo
Contact information
enrollment@nansemond.org
1001 Pembroke Ln, Suffolk, VA 23434
Monacan
- Chief Diane Shields
chief@monacannation.com - Assistant Chief Pamela J. Thompson
pamelaj.monacanasstchief@gmail.com - Tribal Administrator Adrian Compton
tribaladmin@monacannation.com
Contact information
(434) 363-4864
Tribaloffice@monacannation.com
Cheroenhaka (Nottoway)
- Chief Walt “Red Hawk” Brown
wdbrowniii@aol.com - Assistant Chief Ellis "Soaring Eagle" Wright
Bue23829@yahoo.com - Tribal Administrator Caroh "Water Blossom" Holley
jokeoharrak@gmail.com
Contact information
Cattashowrock Town
27345 Aquia Path/P.O. Box 397, Courtland, VA 23837
757-562-7760
Nottoway
- Chief Lynette Allston
allstonfam@aol.com
Contact information
23187 Main Street, PO Box 246, Capron, VA 23829
NottowayofVA@aol.com
Patawomeck
- Chief Charles "Bootsie" Bullock
- Assistant Chief Dennis "D" Harding
- Tribal Administrator Minnie M. Lightner
Contact information
540-842-0501
638 Kings Highway, Fredericksburg, VA 22405
patawomecktribalcenter@gmail.com
Additional resources
- Library of Virginia
- Virginia Department of Historic Resources
- Virginia Indian Heritage Program
- Virginia Indian Heritage Trail Guide Online
- Virginia Department of Education Teacher Resources on Virginia Indians
- Virginia’s American Indian Historic Highway Markers
- Smithsonian National Museum of the American Indian
- Bureau of Indian Affairs, United States Department of The Interior
- American Indian Environmental Office, United States Environmental Protection Agency
- American Indian Studies at Virginia Tech