An Act to further amend the Military Personnel Claims Act of 1945
PL 84-571 (H.R.3996), enacted 06/07/1956

70 
S T A T . ] 
PUBLIC LAW 571-JUNE 7, 1956 
255 
"^Tiereas at the time of their first contacts with the colonists, these 
Indians were a well-established and distinctive people living in 
European-type houses in settled towns and communities, owning 
slaves and livestock, tilling the soil, and practicing many of the 
arts and crafts of European civilization; and 
Whereas by reason of tribal legend, coupled with a distinctive appear-
ance and manner of speech and the frequent recurrence among them 
of family names such as Oxendine, Locklear, Chavis, Drinkwater, 
Bullard, Lowery, Sampson, and others, also found on the roster of 
the earliest English settlements, these Indians may, with consider-
able show of reason, trace their origin to an admixture of colonial 
blood with certain coastal tribes of Indians; and 
Whereas these people are naturally and understandably proud of 
their heritage, and desirous of establishing their social status and 
preserving their racial history: Now, therefore. 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That the Indians 
now residing in Robeson and adjoining counties of North Carolina, 
originally found by the first white settlers on the Lumbee River in 
Robeson County, and claiming joint descent from remnants of early 
American colonists and certain tribes of Indians originally inhabiting 
the coastal regions of North Carolina, shall, from and after the ratifi-
cation of this Act, be known and designated as Lumbee Indians of 
North Carolina and shall continue to enjoy all rights, privileges, and 
immunities enjoyed by them as citizens of the State of North Carolina 
and of the United States as they enjoyed before the enactment of this 
Act, and shall continue to be subject to all the obligations and duties 
of such citizens under the laws of the State of North Carolina and the 
United States. 
Nothing in this Act shall make such Indians eligible 
for any services performed by the United States for Indians because 
of their status as Indians, and none of the statutes of the United States 
which affect Indians because of their status as Indians shall be applica-
ble to the Ijumbee Indians. 
SEC. 2. All laws and parts of laws in conflict with this Act are 
hereby repealed. 
Approved June 7, 1956. 
Lumbee Indians 
of North Carolina^ 
Public Law 571 
CHAPTER 376 
AN ACT 
To further amend the Military Personnel Claims Act of 1945. 
June 7, 1956 
[H. R. 3996] 
Be it enacted hy the Senate and House of Representatives 
of the 
United States of America in Congress assembled, That section 1 (a) 
of the Military Personnel Claims Act of 1945 (59 Stat. 225), as 
amended, is further amended by striking out "$2,500" and inserting 
in lieu thereof "$6,500". 
SEC. 2. Section 1 of this amendatory Act is effective as of July 2, 
1952, and, notwithstanding section 1 (e) of the Military Personnel 
Claims Act of 1945, as amended, any claim heretofore settled in the 
amount of $2,500 solely by reason of the maximum limitation estab-
lished by the Act of July 3, 1952 (ch. 548, 66 Stat. 321), may, upon 
the written request of the claimant made within one year from the 
date of enactment of section 1 of this amendatory Act, be reconsidered 
and settled in accordance with the amendment contained in that 
section. 
Approved June 7, 1956. 
M i l i t a r y p e r -
sonnel. 
Claimst 
66 Stat. 321< 
31 u s e 222c. 
31 u s e 222c.