Lawmakers, Va. Native tribes pitch education, sovereignty reforms to address historic injustices

By: Nathaniel Cline

Outlets: Virginia Mercury

Published: January 29, 2026

Words: 1,565

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 2 days ago

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The Virginia legislature plans to address the impact of a racist 1920s policy that for decades prohibited Native American children from pursuing education beyond seventh or eighth grade.

The Racial Integrity Act, which was overturned in 1967, forced many to leave the commonwealth for states like Kansas, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Pennsylvania.

Now lawmakers are considering a proposal to offer in-state tuition to non-Virginia students who are part of a federally recognized Virginia Native …

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