LibGuides: Local History, Special Collections, and Genealogy: Indigenous Peoples

Indigenous History and Culture

Maryland and the Lower Eastern Shore is an area that has a rich history of Indigenous people, and several Native communities that are active today.

Note: Due to the age or source of different items, articles, or books, different terminology may be used to refer to indigenous people of this region. It may be tricky to determine what words or terms are appropriate to use for different groups. For more information on terminology, you can visit the Smithsonian's National Museum of the American Indian's page The Impact of Words and Tips for Using Appropriate Terminology: Am I Using the Right Word? This site gives information on different terms and names. The easiest way to find out which term is best is to ask the person or group what terms they prefer, or consult webpages or articles written by the group and see what terms they self-identify with. Each person and tribe is different, so asking directly ensures you are treating them with respect.

Local Tribes and Groups

Some specific tribes and bands that lived in the Worcester County area are listed below, along with some resources related to the history and current activities of each group. Pronunciation guides for tribal names come from MSAC's Land Acknowledgement Project, Overview and Resource Guide.

Assateague People's Tribe

“Assateague:” æs-ʌ-tig (æ as in “bad;” ʌ as in “bud;” i as in “bead”)

The Assateague People's Tribe lived in Worcester County, Maryland; Sussex County, Delaware; and Accomack and Northampton Counties, Virginia. The current day leadership for the tribe is based in Delaware. They are a part of the Algonquian culture and language family. In the late 1700s some tribal members moved north into Iroquoian lands, while others stayed in Delmarva.

The website for the present-day tribal group is Assateague People of Delmarva. This website includes some tribal history, information on the tribal council, upcoming events, and contact information for the tribe.

This article on The Eastern Shore Guide, The Assateague Indians: What Became of Them?, gives an overview of some history of the tribe from the 1650s to the 1740s.

Pocomoke Indian Nation

The Pocomoke is larger Paramountcy that contains several smaller tribal bands within their group. These include the Pocomoke, Acquintica, Annemessex, Gingoteague, Manoakin, Morumsco, Nuswattux, and Quindocqua. They lived in Worcester County as well as Wicomico, Somerset, Accomack, and Sussex counties. They are a part of the Algonquian culture and language family.

“Pocomoke:” po-ko-mok (o as in “boat”)

“Acquintica:” ⍺-kwɪn-tɪ-k⍺ (⍺ as in “pod; ɪ as in “bid”)

“Annemessex:” æn-nʌ-mε-sεks (æ as in “bad;” ʌ as in “bud;” ε as in “bed;”)

“Gingoteague:” dʒɪ-ko-tig (dʒ as in “gin;” ɪ as in “bid;” o as in “boat;” i as in “bead;”)

“Manoakin:” mæ-no-kɪn (æ as in “bad;” o as in “boat;” ɪ as in “bid”)

“Morumsco:” mor-ʌm-sko (o as in “boat;” ʌ as in “bud;)

“Nuswattux:” nʌs-wæ-tʌks (ʌ as in “bud; æ as in “bad”)

“Quindocqua:” kwɪn-d⍺-kw⍺ (ɪ as in “bid;” ⍺ as in “pod;”)

The Pocomoke Indian Nation's website contains information on the history of the tribe, photos of events, videos of traditional skills of the Pocomoke, and a calendar of upcoming public events. They often collaborate with several local organizations for events including the Delmarva Discovery Museum, Handsell House and the Chicone Village.

Accohannock Indian Tribe

æ-kꭤ-hæ-n⍺k (æ as in “bad;”⍺ as in “pod”)

The Accohannock Indian Tribe lived primarily in the Somerset, Accomack, and Northampton County areas, though their "sphere of influence" extends into parts of Western Worcester County. They are a part of the Algonquian culture and language family. They were also part of the Powhatan Empire, which during the 16th and 17th centuries was the largest empire in the region, living in areas from Maryland to South Carolina (MSAC). The Accohannock Tribe became a state recognized tribe in 2017. An article about their process of seeking recognition was published in Delmarva Now in February 2017. A follow up article on the recognition was published in December 2017.

There are many other indigenous groups that are Native to the area of land now known as Maryland and Delmarva. Several of these tribes are listed below, along with more information to learn about these groups.

Cedarville Band of the Piscataway Indians

Choptico Band of Indians

Nanticoke Indian Association

Nause-Waiwash Band of Indians

Piscataway Conoy Tribe

Piscataway Indian Nation

Susquehannock Indians, Circle Legacy Center

Youghiogheny River Band of Shawnee Indians

Worcester County Library Resources

There are items related to different Native tribes and groups in our Archives and Special Collections.

Photographs and Archival Collections

The Stewart Dobson Photo Collection (WR 122) consists of photographs taken by OC Today photographer Stewart Dobson. The photographs range from the 1990s to early 2000s and cover local life such as fishing tournaments, construction projects, and local parades. There are several photos in the collection of a pow-wow. The date of the event, and the tribe hosting the event are unknown. It is possible that these pictures depict the Nanticoke Pow Wow.

The American Field Service collection (WR 84) contains photos of the Nanticoke Pow Wow held September 1983. The collection also contains a newspaper article and brochure from the event. The cover photo for this page comes from this collection.

Vertical Files

Our vertical files contain articles, fliers, and other documents related to different topics of history and life in Worcester County. Relevant information may be found in the following files:

Indians
Indians - Finds
Indians - Legends and Lore
Nanticoke Indians
Indian Town
Maryland - Archeology
Maryland - Indians
Maryland - Indiantown

Other pertinent information may be found in other files. These files may be viewed at the Snow Hill branch.

Books

We have a variety of books related to Native American history and genealogy on the Eastern Shore in our Maryland collection that are available to check out, and in the Worcester Room that can be used for research in the library.

A Student's Guide to Native American Genealogy
Call Number: YA 929.1 K
ISBN: 0897749758
Publication Date: 1996-07-22
This series of student research tools explains the process of genealogical research while creating opportunities to practice and integrate social studies skills.

The Delaware Indians: A History by C. A. Weslager
Call Number: 970.3 W
ISBN: 0813514940
Publication Date: 1990-01-01
Available through the Eastern Shore Regional Library.
In the seventeenth century white explorers and settlers encountered a tribe of Indians calling themselves Lenni Lenape along the Delaware River and its tributaries in New Jersey, Delaware, eastern Pennsylvania, and southeastern New York. Today communities of their descendants, known as Delawares, are found in Oklahoma, Kansas, Wisconsin, and Ontario, and individuals of Delaware ancestry are mingled with the white populations in many other states. The Delaware Indians is the first comprehensive account of what happened to the main body of the Delaware Nation over the past three centuries.
Indian and European Contact in Context by edited by Dennis B. Blanton and Julia A. King.
Call Number: 975.01 INDI
ISBN: 9780813027807
Publication Date: 2005-01-31
Between the 16th and 19th centuries as indigenous Native Americans, colonizing Europeans, and Africans came into sustained contact in North America, their cultures underwent a variety of complex transformations. While other scholarly books that examine ""cultural contact"" have traditionally viewed the issue through a single lens, this collection offers a strikingly different picture by collecting a variety of archaeological and ethnohistorical perspectives to formulate an interdisciplinary investigation.
South Dorchester Folk Museum: Dorchester Indian Artifacts by Dr. Darrin Lowrey
Call Number: DVD S
Publication Date: 2010
Quindocqua, Maryland, Indian Country by Woodrow T. Wilson
Call Number: MD 929.3 W
Publication Date: 1980
Maryland and the French and Indian War by Allan Powell
Call Number: MD 973.26 P
ISBN: 0961999543
Publication Date: 1998-01-01
Eastern Shore Indians of Virginia and Maryland by Helen C. Rountree
Call Number: MD 975.21 R
ISBN: 9780813918013
Publication Date: 1997-12-29
Mixing chronological narrative with a full ecological portrait, anthropologists Rountree and Davidson have reconstructed the culture and history of Virginia's and Maryland's Eastern Shore Indians from a.d. 800 until the last tribes disbanded in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries.
Indians of Southern Maryland by Helen C. Rountree; Rebecca Seib
Call Number: MD 975.2004 SEI
ISBN: 9780984213573
Publication Date: 2015-03-31
New from the Maryland Historical Society, the story of Southern Maryland's Native people. Here at last is the story of Southern Maryland's Native people, from the end of the Ice Age to the present. Intended for a general audience, it explains how they have been adapting to changing conditions--both climatic and human--for all of that time in a way that is jargon-free and readable. The authors, cultural anthropologists with long experience of modern Indian people, convincingly demonstrate that all through their history, Native people have behaved like rational adults, contrary to the common stereotype of Indians. Moreover, in the very early Contact Period at least, some English settlers respected them accordingly. Unfortunately, although they never went to war against the English, they were driven nearly out of existence. Yet some of them refused to leave, and, adapting yet again to a changing world, their descendants are living successfully in Indian communities today.
Indians in Maryland and Delaware: A Critical Bibliography by Frank W. Porter
Call Number: MD REF 016.975 P
ISBN: 0253309549
Publication Date: 1979
Maryland Indians Yesterday and Today by Frank W. Porter
Call Number: MD REF 970.1 P
ISBN: 0938420232
Publication Date: 1983-01-01
The Prehistory of Maryland's Lower Eastern Shore Based upon a Survey of Selected Artifact Collections from the Area by Richard B. Hughes
Call Number: MD REF 973.452 H
ISBN: 1878399411
Publication Date: 1991-01-01
The Powhatan Indians of Virginia by Helen C. Rountree
Call Number: VA 970.3 R
ISBN: 0806121564
Publication Date: 1990-12-01
Among the aspects of Powhatan life that Helen Rountree describes in vivid detail are hunting and agriculture, territorial claims, warfare and treatment of prisoners, physical appearance and dress, construction of houses and towns, education of youths, initiation rites, family and social structure and customs, the nature of rulers, medicine, religion, and even village games, music, and dance. Rountree's is the first book-length treatment of this fascinating culture, which included one of the most complex political organizations in native North American and which figured prominently in early American history.
The Nanticoke by Frank W. Porter
Call Number: YA 973.0497 P
ISBN: 1555466869
Publication Date: 1987-01-01
A history of the Nanticoke who originally occupied the shore regions of Maryland and Delaware.
Maryland in the French and Indian War by Timothy Ware
ISBN: 9781467150347
Publication Date: 2023-02-20
"It is true, Maryland did not . . . contribute its proportion, but it was, in my opinion, the fault of the Government, and not of the people." ~Benjamin Franklin During the French and Indian War the American colonies contributed to the imperial war effort like never before, Maryland included. Maryland's involvement in the war saw colonial governor Horatio Sharpe and the elected delegates of the Lower House in near constant struggle over Maryland's role. They battled over the deployment of Maryland's militia, over raising troops, and over wartime funding. Meanwhile, frontier settlements burned and Maryland's soldiers joined the effort to defend Great Britain's claims to lands west of the Appalachians. Britain's colonies in North America expanded substantially as a result. Local historian Tim Ware details the political as well as the military conflicts Maryland faced in this unique war.

Speaking of Indigenous Politics by J. Kehaulani Kauanui (Editor); Robert Warrior (Foreword by)
ISBN: 9781517904777
Publication Date: 2018-06-10
"A lesson in how to practice recognizing the fundamental truth that every inch of the Americas is Indigenous territory" --Robert Warrior, from the Foreword
Many people learn about Indigenous politics only through the most controversial and confrontational news: the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's efforts to block the Dakota Access Pipeline, for instance, or the battle to protect Bears Ears National Monument in Utah, a site sacred to Native peoples. But most Indigenous activism remains unseen in the mainstream--and so, of course, does its significance. J. Kēhaulani Kauanui set out to change that with her radio program Indigenous Politics. Issue by issue, she interviewed people who talked candidly and in an engaging way about how settler colonialism depends on erasing Native peoples and about how Native peoples can and do resist. Collected here, these conversations speak with clear and compelling voices about a range of Indigenous politics that shape everyday life. Land desecration, treaty rights, political status, cultural revitalization: these are among the themes taken up by a broad cross-section of interviewees from across the United States and from Canada, Mexico, Chile, Bolivia, Peru, Australia, and New Zealand. Some speak from the thick of political action, some from a historical perspective, others from the reaches of Indigenous culture near and far. Writers, like Comanche Paul Chaat Smith, author of Everything You Know about Indians Is Wrong, expand on their work--about gaming and sovereignty, for example, or protecting Native graves, the reclamation of land, or the erasure of Indian identity. These conversations both inform and engage at a moment when their messages could not be more urgent.
An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
ISBN: 9780807057834
Publication Date: 2015-08-11
Today in the United States, there are more than five hundred federally recognized Indigenous nations comprising nearly three million people, descendants of the fifteen million Native people who once inhabited this land. The centuries-long genocidal program of the US settler-colonial regimen has largely been omitted from history. Now, for the first time, acclaimed historian and activist Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz offers a history of the United States told from the perspective of Indigenous peoples and reveals how Native Americans, for centuries, actively resisted expansion of the US empire. With growing support for movements such as the campaign to abolish Columbus Day and replace it with Indigenous Peoples' Day and the Dakota Access Pipeline protest led by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe, An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States is an essential resource providing historical threads that are crucial for understanding the present. In An Indigenous Peoples' History of the United States, Dunbar-Ortiz adroitly challenges the founding myth of the United States and shows how policy against the Indigenous peoples was colonialist and designed to seize the territories of the original inhabitants, displacing or eliminating them. And as Dunbar-Ortiz reveals, this policy was praised in popular culture, through writers like James Fenimore Cooper and Walt Whitman, and in the highest offices of government and the military. Shockingly, as the genocidal policy reached its zenith under President Andrew Jackson, its ruthlessness was best articulated by US Army general Thomas S. Jesup, who, in 1836, wrote of the Seminoles- "The country can be rid of them only by exterminating them." Spanning more than four hundred years, this classic bottom-up peoples' history radically reframes US history and explodes the silences that have haunted our national narrative.
Native American Family Life by Colleen Williams; Troy Johnson (Editor)
Call Number: 649.108 W
ISBN: 9781422229699
Publication Date: 2013-01-01
To an outsider, Native American family life may seem simple. In reality, the societies within Native American tribes are incredibly rich and complex. Nor is family life the same from tribe to tribe. Some tribes are organized into clans; others trace their lineage according to matrilineal lines. This book discusses some of the familial arrangements of various tribes, including the reasons for such arrangements as well as the roles individuals played in their respective societies. Book jacket.
Native American Testimony: A Chronicle of Indian-White Relations from Prophecy to the Present, 1492-2000 by Peter Nabokov; Vina Deloria (Foreword by); Vina Deloria (Foreword by)
Call Number: 970.004 N
ISBN: 0140281592
Publication Date: 1999-12-01
From the author of How the World Moves--the classic collection of more than 500 years of Native American History In a series of powerful and moving documents, anthropologist Peter Nabokov presents a history of Native American and white relations as seen though Indian eyes and told through Indian voices. Beginning with the Indians' first encounters with European explorers, traders, missionaries, settlers, and soldiers to the challenges confronting Native American culture today, Native American Testimony spans five hundred years of interchange between the two peoples. Drawing from a wide range of sources--traditional narratives, Indian autobiographies, government transcripts, firsthand interviews, and more--Nabokov has assembled a remarkably rich and vivid collection, representing nothing less than an alternate history of North America.

Meet Naiche by Gabrielle Tayac
Call Number: MD J 975.2004 T
ISBN: 9780836837957
Publication Date: 2003-07-18
In this exciting new series, produced in association with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian, readers of all ages will experience firsthand accounts of the daily lives of contemporary young Native Americans. Their stories are warmly illustrated with current and archival photographs and woven into the stories are details of tribal history and customs. Meet Naiche, a Native boy in Maryland, and spend some time with him at school and at home as he teaches us about the Piscataway people of the Chesapeake Bay area. Discover some places that are special to the Piscataway people, learn about Naiche's great-grandfather, and accompany Naiche and his family to an Awakening of Mother Earth ceremony.
Notable Native People by Adrienne Keene; Ciara Sana (Illustrator)
Call Number: J 920 K
ISBN: 9781984857941
Publication Date: 2021-10-19
An accessible and educational illustrated book profiling 50 notable American Indian, Alaska Native, and Native Hawaiian people, from NBA star Kyrie Irving of the Standing Rock Lakota to Wilma Mankiller, the first female principal chief of the Cherokee Nation An American Indian Library Association Youth Literature Award Young Adult Honor Book! Celebrate the lives, stories, and contributions of Indigenous artists, activists, scientists, athletes, and other changemakers in this beautifully illustrated collection. From luminaries of the past, like nineteenth-century sculptor Edmonia Lewis-the first Black and Native American female artist to achieve international fame-to contemporary figures like linguist jessie little doe baird, who revived the Wampanoag language, Notable Native People highlights the vital impact Indigenous dreamers and leaders have made on the world. This powerful and informative collection also offers accessible primers on important Indigenous issues, from the legacy of colonialism and cultural appropriation to food sovereignty, land and water rights, and more. An indispensable read for people of all backgrounds seeking to learn about Native American heritage, histories, and cultures, Notable Native People will educate and inspire readers of all ages.
Native American Food by Trisha James (Contribution by)
Call Number: J 970.004 J
ISBN: 9781502664143
Publication Date: 2022-07-30
Native Americans hunted, fished, farmed, gathered, and raised animals for food. Depending on where they lived, this meant one people's diet could be vastly different from another people's. Food is always an interesting and motivating topic, one that readers can relate to no matter their background. Readers will find this volume especially thought-provoking as they learn about the culinary dishes and traditions of a variety of native peoples across North America. Sidebars and fact boxes offer additional information and contribute to the eye-catching layout. Concluding questions encourage readers to think more deeply about the essential ideas of the well-researched text.
Native American History for Kids by Karen Bush Gibson
Call Number: J 970.0049 G
ISBN: 9781569762806
Publication Date: 2010-07-01
As the first Americans, hundreds of indigenous bands and nations already lived in North America when European explorers first set out to conquer an inhabited land. This book captures the early history of these complex societies and their 500-year struggle to survive against all odds from war, displacement, broken treaties, and boarding schools. Not only a history of tribal nations, Native American History for Kids also includes profiles of famous Native Americans and their many contributions, from early leaders to superstar athlete Jim Thorpe, dancer Maria Tallchief, astronaut John Herrington, author Sherman Alexie, actor Wes Studi, and more. Readers will also learn about Indian culture through hands-on activities, such as planting a Three Sisters garden (corn, squash, and beans), making beef jerky in a low-temperature oven, weaving a basket out of folded newspaper strips, deciphering a World War II Navajo Code Talker message, and playing Ball-and-Triangle, a game popular with Penobscot children. And before they are finished, readers will be inspired to know that the history of the Native American people is the history of all Americans.

Cookbook of the Assateague Peoples by Members and Friends of the Assateague Peoples Tribe
Call Number: MD 641.5 C
Publication Date: 1998
The Origin And Meaning Of The Indian Place Names Of Maryland. by Hamill Kenny
Publication Date: 1961
Not available locally, but can be reserved through inter library loan.
Native American Landmarks and Festivals: A Traveler's Guide to Indigenous United States and Canada by Yvonne Wakim Dennis; Arlene Hirschfelder
Call Number: 973.049 D
ISBN: 9781578596416
Publication Date: 2018-12-01
A state-by-state (and Canada too!) tour of monuments, events, sites, and festivals of Indigenous American history From ancient rock drawings, historic sites, and modern museums to eco- and cultural tourism, sports events and powwows, the Native American Landmarks and Festivals: A Traveler's Guide to Indigenous United States and Canada provides a fascinating tour of the rich heritage of Indigenous people across the continent. Whether it's the annual All Indian Rodeo in Las Vegas, Nevada, a dog-sledding trek in Arctic Bay, Nunavut, or a rough ride to the ancient Kaunolu Village Site on Lanai, Hawaii, there is lots more to experience in the Indigenous world right around the corner, including ... The Montezuma Castle National Monument Trail of Tears National Historic Trail The Red Earth Festival in Oklahoma City The Autry Museum of the American West The Mashantucket Pequot Museum & Research Center The Thunderbird Powwow The First Nations Film and Video Festival in various cities and states The Angel Mounds State Memorial The Harvest Moon American Indian Festival The Little Bighorn Battlefield National Monument Canada's National Aboriginal Veterans Monument And hundreds more! Native American Landmarks and Festivals guides the traveler to 729 landmarks, sites, festivals, and events in all 50 states and Canada. Travelers not only read about the history and traditions for each site, but maps, photos, illustrations, addresses and websites are also included to help further exploration. This book lets the reader choose from a vast array of "authentic" adventures such as dog sledding, camping in a tipi, hunting and fishing expeditions, researching the history with the people who made the history, making crafts, herbal walks, building and sailing in canoes, hiking along ancient routes, exploring rock art, and preparing and eating Native foods.Organized by region, Indigenous enterprises are included in state and federal parks, including federal and international heritage sites, public and private museums and non-Native events that include Indigenous voice. This convenient reference also has a helpful bibliography and an extensive index, adding to its usefulness. Whether traveling by car, plane, or armchair, Native American Landmarks and Festivals: A Traveler's Guide to Indigenous United States and Canada will bring hours of enjoyable discovery.

Resources at Other Maryland and Delmarva Organizations

Several Maryland organizations have been working to prevent erasure of Native communities by working with them to provide accurate historical information as well as showcasing present-day activities by the tribes.

Maryland State Archives

In 2022 the archives launched a new webpage called Mayis Indigenous Records. This page showcases a database of records related to Indigenous Peoples living in Maryland and the Chesapeake Bay region spanning from 1632-1800. The database allows researchers to search for terms used by Native communities and see all alternate spellings that may have been used. It also allows you to search for tribes, people, places, things, or actions (such as trade or legal cases). The site also links to resources from the tribal communities, other Maryland organizations, and more.
The archives has additional information on their page in the Maryland Manual called Maryland at a Glance - Native Americans. This includes an alphabetical list of many tribes or nations that lived in Maryland and a brief description of each group.

Maryland State Arts Council

One of the resources made available by the MSAC is a page on Land Acknowledgements. The council consulted several Maryland tribes and worked with them to create Land Acknowledgement Statements that are personal to each tribe and represents their relationship to the lands, their history, and their unique experiences. The page also includes a Project Overview and Resource Guide which features best practices for using land acknowledgements, histories of each tribe, maps showcasing the areas of influence for each group, and resources used to make the histories and guide.
They also worked with the Maryland Traditions staff to produce two webinars on how to use land acknowledgements and how to work with local tribes beyond creating land acknowledgements. These can be found here and here.

Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs

The Maryland Commission on Indian Affairs is a commission under the Governor's Office of Community Initiative that serves to promote awareness and understanding of Native Americans in Maryland, to aid in the process of state or federal recognition, and to provide resources to Native American communities in Maryland.
Their website includes minutes from public meetings, information about events and programs, and annual reports.

Maryland Office of Tourism

The tourism office's page Maryland American Indian Sites and Experiences highlights 23 sites of interest in Maryland that are related to Native Americans. While none are located in Worcester County, many are on the Eastern Shore.
They also have an article called "The First Marylanders" giving a very brief overview of some Indigenous history.

Enoch Pratt Free Library

The article The History of Native Americans in Maryland written by librarian Amanda Hughes gives an overview of some of the tribes located in Maryland and their history. She also included several books and other resources for further research.
The Hugh H. Young Collection of Colonial Maryland Papers, made available through Digital Maryland, contains documents from the 17th and 18th centuries on the founding of Maryland. Included in here is early accounts of Native Americans in the Chesapeake.

Baltimore American Indian Center

The Baltimore American Indian Center was founded in 1968 to support growing populations of American Indian and Native families moving to the Baltimore area. Over time, they shifted their goals to prioritize cultural preservation programming and educating the non-native community. The BAIC was founded by members of the Lumbee Tribe, but welcome and support people from all Native tribes and nations. They also have a museum which includes exhibits, a garden with plants important to the Native peoples, and educational events.

Chesapeake Bay Program

This site for the Chesapeake Bay Program, an organization dedicated to the preservation and restoration of the Chesapeake Bay, has a page on the Indigenous Peoples of the Chesapeake, including information on tribes from Maryland, Delaware, and Virginia. They also specifically mention the desire to conserve lands with value to Indigenous communities in their Land Conservation Goals.
They also have several articles on Indigenous people in the region including:
- A walk for the water: Indigenous women walk for the spirit and health of the Potomac River, Leslie Boorhem-Stephenson, Feb. 6, 2017
- Honoring native peoples through community engagement: Baltimore community center uses stories to preserve American Indian cultures, Dylan Reynolds, Nov. 27, 2019
- An Indigenous tribe conserves its ancestral landscapes: The Piscataway Conoy preserve their cultural identity through environment protection, Myra McAdory, Aug. 27, 2020
- Uncovering a major landmark once used by Virginia’s Indigenous tribes: Werowocomoco is the former residence of a prominent Native American leader known as Powhatan, Jake Solyst, Oct. 8, 2020
- The story of Indigenous tribes comes to life at Machicomoco State Park: Virginia’s 40th state park offers access to the York River, Jake Solyst, Sep. 10, 2021

Common Sense Eastern Shore

An online magazine, Common Sense Eastern Shore includes articles from writers on the Eastern Shore about a variety of topics. Some of these highlighting the Indigenous communities are listed below.

Nicknames and Mascots, Part 1: What’s in a Name?, Jan Plotczyk, Mar. 2, 2021
Nicknames and Mascots, Part 2: Native People are NOT your Mascot, Jan Plotczyk, Mar. 16, 2021
Native American Names on the Eastern Shore, Peter Heck, Mar. 15, 2022
A New Park in Delaware Honors the ‘People of the Tidewater’, Will Parson, Mar. 15, 2022
Ancient Eating on the Eastern Shore, Jeanette E. Sherbondy, Apr. 13, 2022
Native Harvest, Buddy & Brenda Howard, Nov. 22, 2022

Edward H. Nabb Research Center

The Nabb Center Finding Guides contain some information related to the Native tribes in Maryland. Some of the tribes included are the Nanticoke, Accohannock, Pocomoke, and more.
They also have a guide to some of their resources, created for Maryland History Day 2022, on Native Americans and Treaties
They also have several books on the topic, which can be viewed in their reading room.
Their YouTube channel hosts digitized historic videos from their collections. Some related videos include
- The Real First Thanksgiving
- Reeling in the Past!: Native American Artifact Exhibit

Guide to Indigenous Maryland

Guide to Indigenous Maryland is a webpage and app created by the Maryland State Library Agency, the Prince George's County Memorial Library System, and project curator Dr. Elizabeth Rule to feature locations in Maryland that are important to the Indigenous community. There is a map highlighting locations across Maryland, with a description of its historical and cultural significance. It is unfortunately quite focused on the Western Shore, but it is possible that more sites related to the Eastern Shore may be added.
There are also links to other resources from tribal nations, cultural organizations, and libraries; videos of related events and more.
Dr. Elizabeth Rule has also created a Guide to Indigenous DC and a Guide to Indigenous Baltimore.
A virtual panel discussion, Examining and Interpreting Native and Indigenous History, was made as part of this project, and is available to watch on YouTube.
- The Prince George's County Memorial Library System has several other videos related to Native American and Indigenous Peoples Heritage Month. These include crafts and book recommendations. Those videos can be found here.

Handsell House and the Chicone Village

Handsell House, a historic site in Dorchester County, has been working with local Indigenous communities to have an accurate history of the Native people from the area. They have built a longhouse and a Native garden, to help show how the Eastern Woodland Native People of Delmarva would live. They host events such as Chicone Village Day and the Nanticoke River Jamboree where interpreters and representatives from local tribes help celebrate and educate guests on their history and culture.
More information on the Nanticoke River Jamboree can be found on its official website.

National Parks Service - Captain John Smith Chesapeake National Historic Trail

The NPS - American Indian Tribes Today page highlights the Native people who live in the Chesapeake Bay region, including Maryland, Delaware, Virginia, and Pennsylvania. This includes profiles on Indigenous artists from the area.
They also have several articles on the Indigenous History of the Chesapeake.
More information on some of the People, Places, and Stories of the region can be found on the History & Culture page.

University of Maryland Libraries

The UMD Library has created a Native Americans in Maryland: A Resource Guide. It contains information on archival materials, books, maps, databases and journals, and web resources.

Miscellaneous Books and Articles

There are several online books and articles related to the Indigenous peoples of the Delmarva area.
Books
- Indians of the Eastern Shore of Maryland, Frank G. Speck, 1922
- Indians of the Lower Eastern Shore by Gail M. Walczyk
Articles
- Burial Customs in the Delmarva Peninsula and the Question of Their Chronology, D. S. Davidson, Oct. 1935 (requires JSTOR subscription)
- The Anthropological Position of the Indian Tribes of Tidewater Virginia, Maurice A. Mook, Jan. 1943 (requires JSTOR subscription)
- Lost Tribes of the Eastern Shore, Robert Kyle, Sept. 1, 1991
- The Archaeology of Native Societies in the Chesapeake: New Investigations and Interpretations, Martin Gallivan, Dec. 15, 2010
- Evidence of Native Americans on the Eastern Shore, and was Pocohantas Really a Princess, Here?, ShoreBread, Nov. 19, 2012
- Indigenous Cultural Landscapes: A 21st-Century Landscape-scale Conservation and Stewardship Framework, Deanna Beacham, Suzanne Copping, John Reynolds, and Carolyn Black, 2017
- Virginia and the Chesapeake, pt 2: Delmarva Peninsula, Gesta Septentrionalis, June 13, 2020
  - This blog post includes information on the different tribes that lived on the Delmarva Peninsula, and includes a map drafted by the author based on several other sources.
- Artist restores Ocean City Native American inlet statue, Mallory Panuska, May 26, 2022
- A Community Gone: The Eastern Shore Natives, Matthew Krogh

General Resources

Beyond Maryland there are also national and regional organizations sharing information on Native Americans as a whole, or information that may still be relevant to research on the Native peoples of Worcester County and Delmarva.

Family Search

This genealogical website has a guide on Indigenous Peoples of Maryland, which includes a brief overview of different tribes, and tips on where to find records from different regions or time periods. They also have a more general guide, which includes information on how to start your research, types of records you may encounter, and more.

National Archives

There are many American Indian and Alaska Native Records in the National Archives. These can be viewed by topic, such as Military Service Records, Photographs, or Tribal Rolls; Federal Agency, such as the Bureau of Indian Affairs, Indian Claims Commission, or Indian Health Service.
The Maryland Native Communities Research Guide on their website gives tips on which search terms to use to find information on different Maryland Native tribes in the National Archives catalog search bar. This is not a comprehensive list of Native communities in Maryland, but of which records are available through the National Archives.
There are several other Research Guides available on their website including Introductions to research, guides to certain record groups, and information on records at each National Archives location.
The US National Archives YouTube channel has a series of videos called Know Your Records: Native American Records, that highlight how you can use their records in genealogical research on Native ancestors and family members.
The National Archives has several blogs and online magazines which have articles related to different records and historical topics. A list of online publications related to American Indian and Alaska Native Records can be found here.

National Museum of the American Indian

This Smithsonian has several Online Resources that are available to researchers. Some of these resources include Online Exhibits, searchable Collections, recorded videos of Events and Seminars, and Educator Resources.

National Parks Service

The NPS has several pages related to Native American History and Culture at the parks.
Native American Heritage Month
Telling All Americans' Stories - Indigenous Heritage
Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act
Office of Native American Affairs

Native Languages of the Americas

A website dedicated to sharing resources related to Native American languages including lists of languages, vocabulary lists, linguistic family groupings, links to other books and online resources, and more.
Several Indigenous groups in the Worcester County area spoke a dialect of the Algonquian family.

PBS

PBS has broadcast several programs on Native peoples across the country. These include Native America, and its corresponding blog Native Voices; Growing Native; and Native Report.

Local History, Special Collections, and Genealogy