SAMPSON COUNTY, N.C. (WTVD) — The Coharie Indian Tribe received an honor generations in the making.
“Our parents, our ancestors, they have been striving for this for over a hundred years,” lifelong tribe member Valerie Sweatt told ABC11.
The tribe was officially honored with North Carolina Historical Markers along Highway 421, at the site of their historic tribal school.
The Coharie Tribe is believed to have descended from several local tribes living in Sampson County since the 1700s, pushed to the banks of the Coharie River because of the Indian Removal Act.
Their tribal school near Clinton was built in 1901, it served as an important piece of the tribe’s history. Due to segregation, it was the only school their children were allowed to attend for decades.
After integration, the school now serves as their tribal headquarters. The tribe now being honored with the historical markers brings mixed emotions for so many.
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