Lumbee Tribe Federal Recognitions

Aaron Thomas, of Pembroke, N.C., a member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, wears a beaded pin his daughter made him that says “575,” to celebrate the passage of a bill granting his tribe federal recognition, becoming the 575th federally recognized tribe in the United States, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, Wednesday, Dec. 17, 2025. “After 137 years of our ancestors trying to get this across the line, it’s very emotional to think about all they did to hold us together as a people to get to this point,” Thomas said through tears. (AP Photo/Jacquelyn Martin)