[Federal Register Volume 89, Number 178 (Friday, September 13, 2024)]
[Notices]
[Pages 74987-74988]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2024-20872]


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DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0038700; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Inventory Completion: U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National 
Historical Park, Sullivan's Island, SC

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

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SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the U.S. Department of the Interior, 
National Park Service, Fort Sumter and Fort Moultrie National 
Historical Park (FOSU) has completed an inventory of associated 
funerary objects and has determined that there is a cultural 
affiliation between the associated funerary objects and Indian Tribes 
or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the associated funerary objects in this notice 
may occur on or after October 15, 2024.

ADDRESSES: J. Tracy Stakely, Superintendent, Fort Sumter and Fort 
Moultrie National Historical Park, 1214 Middle Street, Sullivan's 
Island, SC 29482, telephone (843) 732-5014, email 
[email protected].

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: This notice is published as part of the 
National Park Service's administrative responsibilities under NAGPRA. 
The determinations in this notice are the sole responsibility of the 
Superintendent, FOSU, and additional information on the determinations 
in this notice, including the results of consultation, can be found in 
the inventory or related records.

Abstract of Information Available

    In 1968 associated funerary objects were removed from the grave of 
Seminole leader Osceola in Charleston County, SC during excavation by 
John W. Griffin of the National Park Service. This excavation was 
conducted in response to a self-reported 1966 case of vandalism, 
wherein an individual claimed to have excavated and stolen the remains 
of Osceola. The remains of Osceola were re-interred following the

[[Page 74988]]

excavation, but the associated funerary objects remained in National 
Park Service collections. The 35 associated funerary objects are five 
pottery sherds, two buttons, one bag of faunal bones, three bags of 
metals, 23 bags of mixed material, and one tombstone.

Cultural Affiliation

    Based on the information available and the results of consultation, 
cultural affiliation is clearly identified by the information available 
about the associated funerary objects described in this notice.

Determinations

    FOSU has determined that:
     The 35 objects described in this notice are reasonably 
believed to have been placed intentionally with or near individual 
human remains at the time of death or later as part of the death rite 
or ceremony.
     There is a connection between the associated funerary 
objects described in this notice and the Seminole Tribe of Florida.

Requests for Repatriation

    Written requests for repatriation of the associated funerary 
objects in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative 
identified in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation 
may be submitted by:
    1. Any one or more of the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian 
organizations identified in this notice.
    2. Any lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian 
organization not identified in this notice who shows, by a 
preponderance of the evidence, that the requestor is a lineal 
descendant or a culturally affiliated Indian Tribe or Native Hawaiian 
organization.
    Repatriation of the associated funerary objects in this notice to a 
requestor may occur on or after October 15, 2024. If competing requests 
for repatriation are received, FOSU must determine the most appropriate 
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the 
associated funerary objects are considered a single request and not 
competing requests. FOSU is responsible for sending a copy of this 
notice to the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations 
identified in this notice.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3003, and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.10.

    Dated: September 5, 2024.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2024-20872 Filed 9-12-24; 8:45 am]
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