The Catawba (people of the river) are a federally recognized tribe of Native Americans, known as the Catawba Indian Nation. They live in the Southeast United States, along the border of North Carolina near the city of Rock Hill, South Carolina.
Although recognized by South Carolina, the Catawba did not receive federal recognition until 1941. In 1959 they petitioned Congress to terminate their tribal status, and tribal landholdings were distributed among the membership during 1962. The final tribal role call of that year gave a population of a little over 600. After termination, many Catawba emigrated to the Choctaw in southeast Oklahoma. After a change of heart in 1973, the Catawba tribal council was reorganized and recognized by the state of South Carolina.
During 1994, the Catawba regained federal recognition after a lengthy court battle.
View H.R.2399 - Catawba Indian Tribe of South Carolina land Claims Settlement Act of 1993.
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Many members of the Catawba live on a reservation near Rock Hill, South Carolina. In 1994, the tribe asked the United States government to officially recognize the Catawba Indians' right to tribal...
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Historical records show members of the Catawba tribe have lived in South Carolina since 1650. The original Catawba called themselves "Ye Iswa," meaning "river people." Early Catawba lived in round...
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Here are some of the meanings of these names: * Enoree -- River of Muscadines * Santee -- Safety, Protection * Cheraw -- Fire * Chatooga -- Rocky Waters * Tamassee -- Place of the Sunlight of God *...
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Florence Wade learned to make pottery from her sisters and other family members, including accomplished Catawba potters Sara Harris Ayers and Edith Brown. The Harris family of Catawba potters belongs...
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Evelyn George was designated a master potter of Catawba pottery by the Catawba Indian Nation. Born in 1914, Ms. George learned as a child from her great-grandmother. She was influenced by individuals...
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Boyd S. Hilton (d. 1985), Blackburn, Catawba County. Interview recorded July 1981. Boyd S. Hilton belonged to a family with deep roots in the Catawba Valley pottery tradition. John Wesley Hilton was...
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Boyd S. Hilton (d. 1985), Blackburn, Catawba County. Interview recorded July 1981. Boyd S. Hilton belonged to a family with deep roots in the Catawba Valley pottery tradition. John Wesley Hilton was...
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Boyd S. Hilton belonged to a family with deep roots in the Catawba Valley pottery tradition. John Wesley Hilton was the patriarch of a family tradition that spans several generations. Hilton’s father...
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By the age of 15, Nola Harris Campbell was well on her way to becoming a master potter. She learned how to make coil-formed pottery from another master potter, her sister-in-law Georgia Harris. Over...
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Although recognized by South Carolina, the Catawba did not receive federal recognition until 1941. In 1959 they petitioned Congress to terminate their tribal status, and tribal landholdings were...
