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Ethnicity in Washington, D.C. |
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The local history of Native Americans in Washington, D.C., dates back at least 4,000 years. [1]
Washington, D.C. is a central location for regulatory agencies, and advocacy organizations. Consequently, in recent history it has also become a central location for political protests related to Native Americans in the United States. [2]
According to 2019 US Census Bureau estimates, D.C.'s population was 0.3% Native American and Alaskan Native. [3] Today, approximately 4,000 indigenous people live in Washington, D.C. [4] [5]
Archaeological evidence indicates that American Indians settled in the Washington, D.C., area at least 4,000 years ago, close to the Anacostia River. [2] Native inhabitants within the present-day District of Columbia included the Nacotchtank, at Anacostia, who were affiliated with the Conoy. [6]
Another village was located between Little Falls and Georgetown, [1] and there was a Nacotchtank village called Tohoga on the site of present-day Georgetown. [7]
The Nacotchtank were a trading people as they were established on fertile land with nearby rivers. [8] During his 1608 expedition, English explorer John Smith noted the prosperous Nacotchtank and their great supply of various resources. [9] The Nacotchtank were closely associated with the larger Piscataway Chiefdom of Maryland, whose Tayac (grand chief) ruled over a confederacy of area tribes. [10]
In 1650s, the Province of Maryland began to experience an economic boom with the great popularity and demand of one of its cash crops, tobacco. [11] This expansion necessitated vast areas of land being turned into tobacco plantations as the demand was exceedingly high. [11]
In 1663, Cecil Calvert, the second Lord of Baltimore, granted Thomas Dent an 850-acre tract of land named Gisborough on the Potomac River, which bordered the principal Nacotchtank village. [12] The colony, in such close proximity to the Nacotchtank, now had the leverage to begin encroaching on Nacotchtank territory. [11] Additionally, with the two groups now close to one another and in constant contact, the Europeans from Maryland introduced to the area a number of Eurasian infectious diseases to which the Nacotchtank had no immunity, including measles, cholera, and smallpox. [13] As a result, the Nacotchtank suffered a large population loss. [8]
In 1668, the Nacotchtank tribe, depopulated from Eurasian diseases, collectively relocated to Anacostine Island, which has since been renamed to "Theodore Roosevelt Island." [8] By this period, the population of local American Indians was only one-quarter of those that lived in the region prior to 1608. [14]
By the late 1690s, the population of Native Americans in the region had significantly reduced. [1]
Today, approximately 4,000 indigenous people live in Washington, D.C. [4] [5] In recent years there have been efforts to bolster awareness, understanding, and education around the local history of indigenous peoples. The DC Native History Project was established to work with local tribe members to gain further understanding and recognition of the Anacostan heritage of the region, and to create an interactive map of Washington, D.C., with identified original village sites and the locations of artifact excavations. [15] [16]
In an effort to teach locals about their history and culture related to indigenous people, communities like the Rappahannock tribe host annual celebrations in the national parks. There are also a variety of cultural educational programs offered in the D.C. area regarding indigenous history. The DC Public Library curates a special collection pertaining to D.C.'s local tribal history and heritage. [16]
In 2019, the Council of the District of Columbia voted to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day. [17] [18]
Several Washington, D.C., institutions include a land acknowledgement which states that they are located on the ancestral lands of the Nacotchtank (Anacostans) which is also close to the ancestral lands of the neighboring Piscataway and Pamunkey peoples. [5] [19] [20]
At a national scale, Washington, D.C., has become a central location for regulatory authorities, advocacy and interest groups, and political protests related to Native Americans in the United States. [21]
Since the early 1800s, Washington, D.C., has served as a significant focal point for indigenous peoples seeking to petition the government and enact legislative change at the federal level. [22] [23] D.C. has also hosted tribal nation leader delegations to the U.S. Congress and the White House. In recent years, the White House has also regularly hosted a White House Tribal Nations Summit and a Tribal Youth Summit. [24] [25]
Various excavations have been performed throughout Washington D.C., and identified specific sites in the area once inhabited by the Nacotchtank people. [11] [26] [11]
Although the proximity of rivers was integral for the Nacotchtank, there is evidence of the Nacotchtank existence further inland. [26] During the 1975 construction of the White House swimming pool, analysis of the terrain that was dug up proved indigenous existence on the site, with findings such as quartzite points, a broken biface (hand axe), and fragments of broken pottery. [27] [28] [11]
In 1997, an excavation near the Whitehurst Freeway, which runs parallel to the Potomac River in Georgetown, gathered findings of a "hair comb, hammer stone, and pendants." [26] This land, upon which modern-day Georgetown is established, has been identified as the site for the Tohoga village. [29] [30] Tohoga was a trading village, with it being located along the river bank of the Potomac and thus permitting easy access for traders. [31]
The Nacotchtank had another village north of Garfield Park on what is now Capitol Hill. [26] The tribe used this land, which now houses the Supreme Court and Library of Congress, for agriculture, growing corn, beans, and squash. [26] [32] The Nacotchtank settled on this specific area as it was flat and much more suitable for agriculture than the uneven land bordering the rivers on which they were initially established. [32] The smooth terrain allowed the Nacotchtank to grow the large stores of corn that were appealing to European colonists. [9] [32]
Though the Nacotchtank were absorbed by the Piscataway and relocated north, some aspects of Washington, D.C., are named after them. The river surrounding the eastern border of the city and the neighborhood in southeast D.C. are named "Anacostia" after the Latinized version of Nacotchtank. [45]
Built in 1910, the architecture of the Dumbarton Bridge pays "homage" to the indigenous people who once inhabited the Washington, D.C., area. Lining the bridge's sides are 56 busts of Tribal leader Kicking Bear, a long-time advocate for his people who served as a warrior, spiritual leader, and delegate elected by his community to represent tribal interests in D.C. [46] [47]
The United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., contains paintings, sculptures, and murals featuring various scenes of Indian history. Among the most notable of these are the statues of Native American historical leaders in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The statues in Emancipation Hall include: [48]
Established in 2004, the National Museum of the American Indian is a museum in Washington, D.C., devoted to the culture of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. It is part of the Smithsonian Institution group of museums and research centers. [49]
In 2020, The National Native American Veterans Memorial was opened on the grounds of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The memorial recognizes the "enduring and distinguished service of Native Americans in every branch of the US military." [50]
On November 3, 1972, a group of around 500 American Indians took over the BIA building, the culmination of their Trail of Broken Treaties walk. They intended to bring attention to American Indian issues, including their demands for renewed negotiation of treaties, enforcement of treaty rights and improvement in living standards. They occupied the Department of Interior headquarters from November 3 to 9, 1972. [51]
Thousands of Native Americans have taken a 8,200 miles long walk from San Francisco, rallying at the National Mall for religious freedom for traditional American Indians and against laws considered anti-Indian by the native community.
In 2019, the Indigenous Peoples Movement led the Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, D.C. The event included speeches, prayers, songs, and dance. Its goal was to draw attention to global injustices against indigenous peoples. [52]
in 1806, an Office of Indian Trade was created within the War Department
Part of a series on |
Ethnicity in Washington, D.C. |
---|
|
|
The local history of Native Americans in Washington, D.C., dates back at least 4,000 years. [1]
Washington, D.C. is a central location for regulatory agencies, and advocacy organizations. Consequently, in recent history it has also become a central location for political protests related to Native Americans in the United States. [2]
According to 2019 US Census Bureau estimates, D.C.'s population was 0.3% Native American and Alaskan Native. [3] Today, approximately 4,000 indigenous people live in Washington, D.C. [4] [5]
Archaeological evidence indicates that American Indians settled in the Washington, D.C., area at least 4,000 years ago, close to the Anacostia River. [2] Native inhabitants within the present-day District of Columbia included the Nacotchtank, at Anacostia, who were affiliated with the Conoy. [6]
Another village was located between Little Falls and Georgetown, [1] and there was a Nacotchtank village called Tohoga on the site of present-day Georgetown. [7]
The Nacotchtank were a trading people as they were established on fertile land with nearby rivers. [8] During his 1608 expedition, English explorer John Smith noted the prosperous Nacotchtank and their great supply of various resources. [9] The Nacotchtank were closely associated with the larger Piscataway Chiefdom of Maryland, whose Tayac (grand chief) ruled over a confederacy of area tribes. [10]
In 1650s, the Province of Maryland began to experience an economic boom with the great popularity and demand of one of its cash crops, tobacco. [11] This expansion necessitated vast areas of land being turned into tobacco plantations as the demand was exceedingly high. [11]
In 1663, Cecil Calvert, the second Lord of Baltimore, granted Thomas Dent an 850-acre tract of land named Gisborough on the Potomac River, which bordered the principal Nacotchtank village. [12] The colony, in such close proximity to the Nacotchtank, now had the leverage to begin encroaching on Nacotchtank territory. [11] Additionally, with the two groups now close to one another and in constant contact, the Europeans from Maryland introduced to the area a number of Eurasian infectious diseases to which the Nacotchtank had no immunity, including measles, cholera, and smallpox. [13] As a result, the Nacotchtank suffered a large population loss. [8]
In 1668, the Nacotchtank tribe, depopulated from Eurasian diseases, collectively relocated to Anacostine Island, which has since been renamed to "Theodore Roosevelt Island." [8] By this period, the population of local American Indians was only one-quarter of those that lived in the region prior to 1608. [14]
By the late 1690s, the population of Native Americans in the region had significantly reduced. [1]
Today, approximately 4,000 indigenous people live in Washington, D.C. [4] [5] In recent years there have been efforts to bolster awareness, understanding, and education around the local history of indigenous peoples. The DC Native History Project was established to work with local tribe members to gain further understanding and recognition of the Anacostan heritage of the region, and to create an interactive map of Washington, D.C., with identified original village sites and the locations of artifact excavations. [15] [16]
In an effort to teach locals about their history and culture related to indigenous people, communities like the Rappahannock tribe host annual celebrations in the national parks. There are also a variety of cultural educational programs offered in the D.C. area regarding indigenous history. The DC Public Library curates a special collection pertaining to D.C.'s local tribal history and heritage. [16]
In 2019, the Council of the District of Columbia voted to replace Columbus Day with Indigenous Peoples' Day. [17] [18]
Several Washington, D.C., institutions include a land acknowledgement which states that they are located on the ancestral lands of the Nacotchtank (Anacostans) which is also close to the ancestral lands of the neighboring Piscataway and Pamunkey peoples. [5] [19] [20]
At a national scale, Washington, D.C., has become a central location for regulatory authorities, advocacy and interest groups, and political protests related to Native Americans in the United States. [21]
Since the early 1800s, Washington, D.C., has served as a significant focal point for indigenous peoples seeking to petition the government and enact legislative change at the federal level. [22] [23] D.C. has also hosted tribal nation leader delegations to the U.S. Congress and the White House. In recent years, the White House has also regularly hosted a White House Tribal Nations Summit and a Tribal Youth Summit. [24] [25]
Various excavations have been performed throughout Washington D.C., and identified specific sites in the area once inhabited by the Nacotchtank people. [11] [26] [11]
Although the proximity of rivers was integral for the Nacotchtank, there is evidence of the Nacotchtank existence further inland. [26] During the 1975 construction of the White House swimming pool, analysis of the terrain that was dug up proved indigenous existence on the site, with findings such as quartzite points, a broken biface (hand axe), and fragments of broken pottery. [27] [28] [11]
In 1997, an excavation near the Whitehurst Freeway, which runs parallel to the Potomac River in Georgetown, gathered findings of a "hair comb, hammer stone, and pendants." [26] This land, upon which modern-day Georgetown is established, has been identified as the site for the Tohoga village. [29] [30] Tohoga was a trading village, with it being located along the river bank of the Potomac and thus permitting easy access for traders. [31]
The Nacotchtank had another village north of Garfield Park on what is now Capitol Hill. [26] The tribe used this land, which now houses the Supreme Court and Library of Congress, for agriculture, growing corn, beans, and squash. [26] [32] The Nacotchtank settled on this specific area as it was flat and much more suitable for agriculture than the uneven land bordering the rivers on which they were initially established. [32] The smooth terrain allowed the Nacotchtank to grow the large stores of corn that were appealing to European colonists. [9] [32]
Though the Nacotchtank were absorbed by the Piscataway and relocated north, some aspects of Washington, D.C., are named after them. The river surrounding the eastern border of the city and the neighborhood in southeast D.C. are named "Anacostia" after the Latinized version of Nacotchtank. [45]
Built in 1910, the architecture of the Dumbarton Bridge pays "homage" to the indigenous people who once inhabited the Washington, D.C., area. Lining the bridge's sides are 56 busts of Tribal leader Kicking Bear, a long-time advocate for his people who served as a warrior, spiritual leader, and delegate elected by his community to represent tribal interests in D.C. [46] [47]
The United States Capitol in Washington, D.C., contains paintings, sculptures, and murals featuring various scenes of Indian history. Among the most notable of these are the statues of Native American historical leaders in the National Statuary Hall Collection. The statues in Emancipation Hall include: [48]
Established in 2004, the National Museum of the American Indian is a museum in Washington, D.C., devoted to the culture of the indigenous peoples of the Americas. It is part of the Smithsonian Institution group of museums and research centers. [49]
In 2020, The National Native American Veterans Memorial was opened on the grounds of the National Museum of the American Indian in Washington, D.C. The memorial recognizes the "enduring and distinguished service of Native Americans in every branch of the US military." [50]
On November 3, 1972, a group of around 500 American Indians took over the BIA building, the culmination of their Trail of Broken Treaties walk. They intended to bring attention to American Indian issues, including their demands for renewed negotiation of treaties, enforcement of treaty rights and improvement in living standards. They occupied the Department of Interior headquarters from November 3 to 9, 1972. [51]
Thousands of Native Americans have taken a 8,200 miles long walk from San Francisco, rallying at the National Mall for religious freedom for traditional American Indians and against laws considered anti-Indian by the native community.
In 2019, the Indigenous Peoples Movement led the Indigenous Peoples March in Washington, D.C. The event included speeches, prayers, songs, and dance. Its goal was to draw attention to global injustices against indigenous peoples. [52]
in 1806, an Office of Indian Trade was created within the War Department