§ 71A‑3. Lumbee Tribeof North Carolina; rights, privileges, immunities, obligations and duties.
The Indians now residing inRobeson and adjoining counties of North Carolina, originally found by the firstwhite settlers on the Lumbee River in Robeson County, and claiming jointdescent from remnants of early American Colonists and certain tribes of Indiansoriginally inhabiting the coastal regions of North Carolina, who havepreviously been known as "Croatan Indians," "Indians of RobesonCounty," and "Cherokee Indians of Robeson County," shall, fromand after April 20, 1953, be designated and officially recognized as LumbeeTribe of North Carolina and shall continue to enjoy all rights, privileges andimmunities enjoyed by them as citizens of the State as now provided by law, andshall continue to be subject to all the obligations and duties of citizensunder the law. (1953,c. 874; 1977, 2nd Sess., c. 1193, s. 1; 2003‑54, s. 1.)