Nanticoke Indian Association facts for kids

The Nanticoke Indian Association is a group of Nanticoke people. Their main office is in Millsboro, Delaware. This group was officially started in 1881. At first, they were known as the Independent Body. Later, in 1922, the state of Delaware officially recognized them as a Native American tribe.

The Nanticoke Indian Association is one of only two Native American groups recognized by the state of Delaware. The other group is the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware. Neither of these groups has been recognized as a tribe by the United States federal government. The Association chooses a chief to lead their community.

How the Association Started

In 1875, the state of Delaware passed a law about taxes for schools. This law meant that Nanticoke people had to pay taxes for schools. However, their children were not allowed to attend these schools. Because of this unfair rule, members of the Nanticoke community decided to form their own group. This group was later called the Incorporated Body.

This new group was made up of 31 people who wanted to work together. They decided to combine their money to create separate schools for their children. On March 10, 1881, the state of Delaware officially recognized the Incorporated Body. Some of the family names of these first 31 members were Harmon, Wright, Norwood, Clark, Street, Johnson, Kimmey, and Drain. These names are still common in Sussex County today. To become a member of the Nanticoke Indian Association, you must show that you are related to one or more of these original families.

Because of this action, the Nanticoke people were legally recognized as a third group of people in Delaware. This meant they could build their own schools. They built two schools for Nanticoke children aged seven to twenty-one. The first school they built was the Harmon School.

At one point, African-American teachers and students also used the Harmon School. However, Nanticoke parents wanted their children to learn about their own culture. So, they moved their children and started an Indian mission school. In 1922, the Nanticoke Indian Association was formed. They gained state recognition as a separate people. In the late 1970s, the Association took over the Harmon School building. They turned it into the Nanticoke Indian Museum.

Leadership of the Association

The Nanticoke Indian Association chooses a chief to be its leader. In 2002, Kenneth S. "Red Deer" Clark Sr., who was the head chief, decided to step down. He felt that some decisions being made were not good for all members of the group. One of the main disagreements was about the size of the yearly pow-wow. They also discussed how much members should help prepare for the pow-wow.

Notable People

• James Young Deer, actor

See also

• Delaware Moors