Leaders of the Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware are seen at the Indian Hannah Monument in Pennsylvania in 2014. Chief Dennis J. Coker, who remains in office, is on the far left. Photo by Lenape Indian Tribe
The Lenape Indian Tribe is finally gaining formal recognition from the state of Delaware. Lawmakers passed House Bill 345 by unanimous margins this summer. The bill is being signed into law by Gov. Jack Markell (D) on Thursday, the Associated Press reports. "The Lenape Indian Tribe of Delaware is designated and recognized as an American Indian Tribe with a recognized tribal governing body carrying out and exercising substantial governmental duties and powers," the bill reads. "The Tribe is recognized as eligible for the special programs and services that the United States provides to Indians because of their status as Indians." As one example, the bill noes that members of state recognized tribes can marked their goods as "Indian" under the Indian Arts and Crafts Act. The tribe could also qualify for certain federal grant programs due to its new status. The Lenape people controlled a vast territory that included present-day Delaware, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania before most of their ancestors were forced out by European explorers, Colonial governments and, later, the United States. Their descendants are primarily found in Oklahoma and Wisconsin, where they are recognized as the Delaware Nation, the Delaware Tribe and the Stockbridge-Munsee Community. Read More on the Story:
Governors signs legislation recognizing Lenape tribe (AP 8/4)
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