Stockbridge–Munsee Community facts for kids
Location of Stockbridge–Munsee Indian Reservation
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|
| Total population | |
|---|---|
| 1,565 | |
| Regions with significant populations | |
 United States (Shawano County, Wisconsin) |
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| Languages | |
| English, (originally Mohican and Munsee) | |
| Religion | |
| Moravian Church, Christian | |
| Related ethnic groups | |
| Lenape, Mohicans, Pequot |
The Stockbridge–Munsee Community, also known as the Mohican Nation Stockbridge–Munsee Band, is a Native American tribe officially recognized by the United States government. This community was formed in the late 1700s. It brought together two main groups: the Mohicans and Wappinger people from a place called Stockbridge, Massachusetts, and the Munsee people from areas that are now New York, Pennsylvania, and New Jersey.
Many members of these groups were "praying Indians," meaning they had become Christians. Today, the Stockbridge–Munsee Community lives on a special area of land called a reservation. This reservation is about 22,000 acres in Shawano County, Wisconsin. It includes the towns of Bartelme and Red Springs. One of the tribe's main businesses is the North Star Mohican Resort and Casino.
In 2010, the state of New York agreed to give the tribe some land in the Catskills and Madison County. This was part of a deal where the tribe dropped a larger claim for land they used to live on in New York. The tribe had planned to build a casino on the Catskills land, but later decided not to because of strong competition from other casino projects.
Contents
History of the Stockbridge–Munsee Community
The people who make up the Stockbridge–Munsee Community come from tribes that lived in the Hudson River valley, New England, and the mid-Atlantic areas when Europeans first arrived. The Stockbridge people were Mohicans from the upper Hudson River area. They moved to western Massachusetts, near Stockbridge, before the American Revolutionary War. Many of them became Christians.
After the Revolutionary War, in the late 1700s and early 1800s, these groups moved west to central New York. The Oneida people allowed them to share a part of their land, which was about 22,000 acres south of Syracuse, New York.
Early Beginnings: 17th to 19th Centuries
The Munsee people were a part of the larger Lenape tribe. They lived in the northern part of the Lenape lands. This included coastal areas around what is now New York City, western Long Island, and northern New Jersey. They spoke a special language called Munsee, which was one of the main Lenape languages.
During the American Revolutionary War, a sad event called the Stockbridge Massacre happened in 1778. After this, the remaining Mohican and Wappinger people in Stockbridge, Massachusetts, moved to Oneida County to join the Oneida people.
Many Munsee-speaking Lenape also moved from New Jersey to this area by 1802. They were joined by the Brothertown Indians from New Jersey and the Stockbridge Indians. The Stockbridge group included the last members of the once-large Wappinger people and some Mohicans. Even though the Oneida people let them share their land, these groups eventually decided to move together to what is now Wisconsin. Each of these tribes used to speak their own unique Algonquian language.
Today, the Stockbridge–Munsee share a 22,000-acre reservation in Shawano County, Wisconsin. This land was originally home to the Menominee tribe. Since the late 1900s, the Stockbridge–Munsee Community has built the successful North Star Mohican Resort and Casino. This business helps create money for the tribe's well-being and economic growth.
Fighting for Tribal Rights
From the 1940s to the 1960s, the U.S. government had a policy called Indian termination policy. This policy aimed to end the special relationship between the government and some Native American tribes. Several tribes from New York, including the Stockbridge–Munsee, were considered for this policy.
To fight against this and to get back land they believed was theirs in New York, the Stockbridge–Munsee and other tribes started taking legal action in the 1950s. In 1964, they won a settlement of over $1.3 million. This money was given to tribal members, and the government ended its efforts to terminate these tribes. This law helped make sure the Stockbridge–Munsee and Oneida tribes could continue to govern themselves.
Land and Legal Matters
The Stockbridge–Munsee Community has continued to work with local and state governments on land and tax issues. For example, in 2012, they discussed with Shawano County how their purchased land might become "trust lands." Trust lands are held by the U.S. government for the benefit of the tribe and are usually not taxed by the state or local governments.
In the late 1900s, the Stockbridge–Munsee were among several tribes who filed land claims against New York state. Courts had decided that New York had taken land from Native Americans after the American Revolutionary War without proper permission from the U.S. Senate. The Stockbridge–Munsee claimed 23,000 acres in Madison County, New York, which was their former homeland.
In 2010, New York's governor announced a deal with the tribe. The tribe would receive a small amount of land in Madison County and 330 acres in Sullivan County, New York in the Catskill Mountains. In return, the tribe would drop its larger land claim. The federal government agreed to hold the Sullivan County land in trust, which would allow it to be used for a casino. This was meant to help the economy in that area. However, other casinos and tribes did not agree with this plan.
In 2013, New York passed a law to allow four new casinos in different parts of the state. The Stockbridge–Munsee and their partners decided to withdraw their plan for a casino in Sullivan County in 2014. This was because another casino was planned closer to New York City, which would create a lot of competition.
Other Land Claims Cases
The tribe was not successful in another land claim case. A case filed in 1986 against New York and the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin was dismissed in 2014. The court said that the tribe had waited too long to make its claim. The court stated that land claims made many years after the land was lost can cause problems for local governments and current landowners.
The court also ruled that the Oneida Nation was protected by "sovereign immunity," meaning they could not be sued in this case. While the tribe thought about appealing to the U.S. Supreme Court, experts believe it is unlikely the court would hear the case. The Supreme Court has refused to hear similar land claims from other tribes in New York.
In Popular Culture
- The TV show The West Wing featured the Stockbridge–Munsee Community in an episode called "The Indians in the Lobby".
Notable Tribal Members
- Robert L. Hall (1927–2012), an expert in anthropology and archaeology.
- Jimmy Johnson (1899–1942), a famous college football player and dentist.
- Bill Miller (born 1955), a talented musician.
