Abstract:
Chowanoac Indians, whose lands encompassed most of modern day Gates, Hertford, Bertie and Chowan Counties, is believed by historians to be the oldest Native American tribe in North Carolina. The Chowanoac Indians suffered greatly from European diseases, and after Bacon’s Rebellion were moved to a reservation in modern day Gates County. They intermarried with the white and African-American neighbors, being no longer considered ‘Native Americans,’ but as ‘free people of color.’ In 2013, the North Carolina General Assembly enacted House Bill 549, giving the
Chowanoac Indian Nation their rights as a recognized Indian tribe.