Chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe of Virginia to speak at VCU

By Brian McNeill

Stephen R. Adkins, chief of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, will speak at Virginia Commonwealth University this month about the complex journey of Virginia's Native nations toward federal recognition and sovereignty.

Adkins will speak at 4 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 18, at James Branch Cabell Library, 901 Park Ave., in Room 303. The talk is part of the VCU Provost Lecture Series, co-sponsored by the Humanities Research Center, the VCU Office of the Provost and VCU Libraries. Adkins' address is also the premier lecture in the HRC initiative "On Native Ground," which highlights Indigenous histories and cultures across the Americas.

The event, "On Native Ground: Virginia Native Nations, Sovereignty, and Persistence," will feature a presentation by Adkins, followed by dialogue with the audience and two other Chickahominy citizens: Assistant Chief Wayne Adkins and tribal councilman Troy Adkins. Jessica Stewart, a VCU alum and citizen of the Chickahominy Indian Tribe, will moderate.

Adkins, who earned his undergraduate business degree from VCU, will trace the historical and political landscape that culminated in the landmark 2018 federal recognition of six Virginia tribes, including his own Chickahominy Nation. Drawing on decades of advocacy and leadership, he will examine how Virginia's Native communities have navigated the federal recognition process while maintaining their cultural integrity, developing economic independence and asserting political sovereignty in the 21st century.

The presentation will address critical contemporary issues, including the ongoing challenges and opportunities that federal recognition brings to tribal governance, economic development, education, cultural preservation and community self-determination.

Adkins will also talk about the future of Virginia's Native nations as they work to strengthen intertribal relationships, expand educational and cultural programs, and advocate for Indigenous rights at both state and federal levels.

HRC Director Cristina Stanciu, Ph.D., noted that Adkins' lecture will be the first time a chief of a federally recognized Indigenous nation in Virginia has spoken at VCU. The event will provide an opportunity to learn directly from a tribal leader about the resilience, vision and ongoing struggles of Virginia's Indigenous nations.

The event will be free and open to the public. To register, visit the HRC event page.