RECOGNIZING AMERICA 250: INDIAN WOODS

On 2025-12-19, Representative Donald G. Davis (D-NC-1) delivered a floor speech titled "RECOGNIZING AMERICA 250: INDIAN WOODS" in the House. The speech addressed the environment and also covered labor policy.

RECOGNIZING AMERICA 250: INDIAN WOODS

Congressional Record, Volume 171 Issue 215 (Friday, December 19, 2025) [Congressional Record Volume 171, Number 215 (Friday, December 19, 2025)] [Extensions of Remarks] [Pages E1237-E1238] From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [ www.gpo.gov ] RECOGNIZING AMERICA 250: INDIAN WOODS ______ HON. DONALD G. DAVIS of north carolina in the house of representatives Friday, December 19, 2025 Mr. DAVIS of North Carolina. Mr. Speaker, today, as part of the ``America 250'' celebrations, I honor the rich tapestry of history that is Indian Woods and Bertie County, North Carolina. As the community's residents commemorate America's Semiquincentennial, let us reflect upon 250 years of resilience, progress, and unity that have shaped the country. Indian Woods is a community with an extraordinary history that dates back hundreds of years, predating the arrival of Europeans in North Carolina. The residents of this roughly ten-square-mile area of southern Bertie County, situated between the Roanoke River and Roquist Creek, have fought in many of our Nation's historical conflicts, including the Revolutionary War, and lived through significant eras and transformations. It is one of America's original ``melting pots'' of Native American, European, and African peoples, which today form a single enduring community. In honor of this rich history and as part of the America 250 celebrations, the Blue Jay Recreation Center hosted the historical educational event: ``Bertie's Forgotten Black and Native Patriots of the Revolutionary War,'' on October 3 and 4, 2025. In partnership with the North Carolina Department of Cultural and Natural Resources, the Indian Woods Historical Preservation Society, the Blue Jay Recreation Center, and North Carolina Central University, the event highlighted the Revolutionary War patriots from Indian Woods and Bertie County. Thanks to the deep research of Dr. Arwin D. Smallwood on the subject, the program featured reenactments of several historical figures whose ancestral lineage included Native Americans and African ancestors: William Lowry Woods (1758 to 1847), Jacob Braveboy (1759 to 1810), and Arthur Wiggins (1761 to 1830) to name just three of the over 29 recorded from Bertie County. For the country's birthday, let us celebrate our past achievements and recommit ourselves to the ideals of unity, resilience, and progress that have defined the Union. Together, let us continue to write the next chapter of the county's story, guided by the enduring spirit of those who came before us. I wish a happy Semiquincentennial to the Indian Woods Community and Bertie County. I look forward to another 250 years of heritage, community, and boundless possibility. [[Page E1238]] ____________________