It is with deep affection and respect that I reflect on the life and contributions of Chief Roscoe Jacobs, the first elected and, until his death at age 86 on January 27, the presiding chief of the Waccamaw-Siouan Tribe. He also was a beloved and longstanding member of the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs, which since 1971 has served to assist the more than 100,000 American Indians who call North Carolina home.
It was a great privilege to deliver Governor Perdue’s message of appreciation at Chief Jacobs’ funeral. A personal letter written to his family expressed her deep sympathy and acknowledged the Chief’s accomplishments and contributions to the Waccamaw-Siouan, his community and to all of North Carolina tribes.
Chief Jacobs was a modern-day warrior who worked hard throughout his lift to assure that Indians were treated fairly, not discriminated against, and that they were represented in all aspects of decision making at the local, state and federal level. He was among the few surviving Indian leaders who chose to take up his peoples’ cause back in the 1950s and ‘60s, when it was no
t very popular to be an American Indian. He was very proud of his heritage, always wearing a feather, his signature red suspenders and a traditional American Indian bolo necktie, as a badge of pride.
I am deeply honored to have had the opportunity to know and work with such an honorable leader and will truly miss him. He has certainly earned his rightful place in North Carolina’s American Indian history.