A bill sponsored by Assemblymember Fred W. Thiele Jr. (D-Sag Harbor) and state Senator Anthony Palumbo (R-New Suffolk) to reinstate the recognition of the Indian Nation of Montaukett as hailing from the East End of Long Island was unanimously passed by both houses of the state Legislature on May 31.
The Montaukett Indian nation was removed from recognition in a 1910 Supreme Court case Pharoah v. Benson. Now after 113 years, The Montaukett Indian nation will be reinstated as an act by the courts to correct their decision all that time ago. This was the argument of the bill that has since been updated from previous bills that were vetoed. This bill was different from previous bills, as this was not phrased as a new application for recognition but to correct the original decision.
“The enactment of the ‘Unmarked Burial Site Protection Act’ marks a new beginning between the governor and all Indian Nations in the state,” Thiele said. “I am hopeful that we can build on that success and that the governor will take a fresh look at this issue. It is time to finally correct this historical wrong by considering the facts and the law as they existed in 1910. The Montaukett Indian Nation deserves to regain their recognition and I am proud that the New York State Legislature has unanimously passed this long-overdue bill to correct such an historical injustice. I thank Senator Palumbo and my colleagues in both the Senate and the Assembly for their action and strongly urge Governor Hochul to finally reinstate the rights of the Montaukett Indian Nation.”