Native Americans

Sam Gurneau (part Ojibwe) was a star athlete in football, basketball, track, and wrestling. He intercepted and ran 65 yards for a touchdown versus Carolina in November 1930.

Frank Martin was the first Native American to receive a PhD at NC State. He earned a degree in experimental statistics.

Professor Robert Havighurst of the University of Chicago gave a lecture titled "Education of the American Indian" as part of the symposium series "Man in his Urban Environment."

Students formed NASA to foster support academically, socially, and culturally for Native American students at NC State.

Student Senate passed the Minority Affairs Bill, which created the Minority Affairs Committee. The committee was tasked with representing the concerns of African Americans, Native Americans, women, people with disabilities, and the gay and lesbian community on campus.

The Native American Student Association sponsored NC State's first annual Pow Wow. The event featured Native American culture, including food, dress, and especially dance.

The first annual Cultural Awareness Day was sponsored by the Native American Student Association.

From fall 1991 and spring 1992, Native American student enrollment dropped by 10%, going from 98 to 88 students.

Chancellor Larry Monteith and Native American students signed a proclamation naming November as Native American Heritage Month. The Technician reported that students and Monteith also discussed the possibility of a peer mentor program and increased recruitment of Native American students and faculty.

Members of the Native American Student Association send a list of requests to Chancellor Monteith for improvements to Native American representation and life on campus.

Chief Wilma Mankiller of the Cherokee Nation was honored at the Eighth Annual Role Model Leaders Forum at the Student Center Annex (now Witherspoon Student Center) during Native American Awareness Week. Mankiller spoke about women's roles in Native American tribes.

An honorary banquet was held for NC State's fifth annual Native American Cultural Awareness Weekend at the McKimmon Center. Apesanakhwat, a Native American actor, was the keynote speaker.

Chancellor Larry K. Monteith launched the Diversity Initiative to provide more equitable access to educational resources on campus regardless of race, gender, socioeconomic background, physical disabilities, and other related factors.

The Society of Native American Culture (SNAC) published the Native American "10 Commandments" in the Technician.

Students organized a chapter of Alpha Pi Omega, the first Native American sorority at NC State.

Two organizations, the Native American Student Association and the Society of Native American Culture, merged under one name and formed the Native American Student Association.

The NC State chapter of Phi Sigma Nu was chartered. It was the university's first Native American fraternity.

NC State passed Policy 04.25.05, known as the Equal Opportunity, Non-Discrimination and Affirmative Action Policy. The policy supported equal opportunity and affirmative action efforts, and prohibited discrimination and harassment based upon race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, national origin, disability, veteran status, or genetic information.

Native American Student Affairs was established as a unit under Multicultural Student Affairs.

The Technician reported that the Native American Symposium offered information for incoming freshmen, including information on navigating campus.

The NC State Chapter of the American Indian Science and Engineering Society hosted the conference in Talley Student Center. Activities included a career fair, presentations, campus tours, and a pow wow.

The Technician reported that members of the Native American Student Association and American Indian Science and Engineering Society presented Chancellor Marye Anne Fox with a proclamation celebrating November Indian Heritage Month. Governor Mike Easley signed the proclamation.

Governor Mike Easley declared November Indian Heritage Month in North Carolina. Native American Student Association members presented Chancellor Marye Anne Fox with a copy of Easley's proclamation.

High school students from Native American communities visited campus.

The Technician reported that a panel discussed, "Indian Mascots: What's All the Hype About?," focused on use of Native American depictions in athletic team symbols.

The NC State chapter of Epsilon Chi Nu, a Native American fraternity, was chartered.

Multicultural Student Affairs and the College of Humanities and Social Sciences hosted the Native American Forum, "Language and Identity."

The NC State chapter of Sigma Omicron Epsilon was chartered. This was the second Native American sorority formed on campus, and the first to be officially recognized by Greek life.

A minor in Native American Studies was established in Interdisciplinary Studies.

Native American Culture Night became an annual event sponsored by the Native American Student Association.

A chapter of the Society for the Advancement of Hispanics/Chicanos and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS) was formed as the first and only chapter in North Carolina. The organization's aims to increase the number of students of diverse backgrounds pursuing graduate degrees in STEM fields.

Native Space, a Living and Learning village for first-year Native American students, opened in Wood Hall.

NC State University Libraries' Wolf Tales program recorded the personal stories of students attending the 2017 Pow Wow.

A land acknowledgment statement was published and adopted to recognize and support Indigenous communities in North Carolina and the university. The statement was authored by the NC State American Indian Advisory Council, Student Government and Native American Student Association, and formally adopted by the NC State Staff Senate, Faculty Senate and Student Senate.