Native American Tribes of Kentucky
http://www.native-languages.org/kentucky.htm

Lots of links!

There is a link at the site where the full text can be downloaded as a pdf.

http://eric.ed.gov/?id=ED320723
Native Americans in Central Appalachia: A Bibliography. First Edition. ASPI Research Service.
Collins, Timothy

This bibliography lists available literature relating to the American Indians of Appalachia. Containing approximately 540 entries, the list includes publications on American Indians from prehistoric times up to the present. The materials focus primarily on the Shawnee and Cherokee tribes, which inhabited portions of what is now called central Appalachia, embracing the mountainous parts of Ohio, West Virginia, Kentucky, Virginia, Tennessee, and North Carolina. The listed citations touch upon areas of history, sociology, anthropology, and archeology, giving researchers access to information on the world of the Appalachian Indian: eating habits, migration routes, the use of African-American slaves, hunting grounds, medicines, relations with other Indians and White colonial powers, political systems, and intra-tribal struggles. Aside from Appalachian states, the cited literature also extends to surrounding areas, where the Shawnee and Cherokee carried their influence. This bibliography includes monographs, periodical articles, museum papers, bibliographies, handbooks, and other types of documents, organized alphabetically by authors and titles. (TES)

https://intercontinentalcry.org/invisible-populous-appalachia-seeking-statutory-recognition/
The Invisible Populous of Appalachia: Seeking Statutory Recognition
by Dr. Jenny Penland
on February 5, 2014

West Virginia has an abundance of diversity not only with its flora but also with the people that live there. In the midst of this diverse state, there exists an “invisible” population of American Indians which comprises over 11,000 members and is represented by 85 tribal lineages, with Cherokee and Shawnee being the largest. Both the Appalachian American Indians of West Virginia (AAIWV) and the National American Indian Federation (NAIF) currently have three bills in legislation (HB2779, SB377 and SB406) which would provide long overdue statutory recognition for both populations.

One major issue that the two Indian communities have to deal with while seeking state recognition is the official state position, which has been accepted for many years, that West Virginia was only a “hunting ground” and that there were no Indigenous Peoples living in the area when the white settlers came. However, there is significant historical evidence to refute this idea. The history of the American Indian communities in the state pre-dates the settlers. Prior to 1830, the land claims of the Cherokee and Shawnee were divided by the Ohio and Kanawha Rivers and extended into what is present-day West Virginia, Kentucky, Tennessee and Ohio.

In 1830, the Indian Removal Act was passed calling for the relocation of all tribes to “Indian Territory” west of the Mississippi River. Under the terms of the act, individuals were allowed to stay in their homes if they gave up all tribal claims and allegiance and agreed to become citizens of the states they lived in. The Treaty of 1832 called for the removal of all Shawnee to the west. The US government sent troops to forcibly remove Indians from Ohio and the Ohio River Valley, if necessary. Some Shawnee families broke away from Chief Blue Jacket’s group headed west and came into West Virginia south of the Kanawha and into Kentucky hiding among the Cherokee who still lived in the area. Some stayed with “mixed blood” relatives who were a significant part of the population. Although the major Cherokee centers at this time were in Tennessee, northern Georgia and Arkansas, some families broke with the main Cherokee body and moved back into the hills of the Carolinas and Virginia (now West Virginia). Many “mixed-blood” families of Cherokee, Shawnee, and English/Scots/Irish heritage were formed at this time...

...In addition to addressing historic wrongs, the passage of these bills (HB2779, SB377 and SB406) will have significant economic benefits to the State of West Virginia and to the members of the AAIWV and NAIF. Recognizing the Native American Tribes in the state can also lead to additional cultural and educational opportunities and an increase in tourism. It will surely be a WIN for West Virginia and all Indigenous Peoples!

If anyone has information on the status of these bills, could you please post it here?

Great site with lots of links and information.

From their website at http://www.appalachiancherokeenation.net/aboutus.html

Who are we?

The name of this Nation (Tribe) shall be the Appalachian Cherokee Nation (ACN) Tribe , of Montross, Virginia. Our history goes back to the Great Cherokee Chief, Aaron RedBird Brock, born Dec 8, 1721 in Virginia. RedBird Creek in Clay County Kentucky, then Virginia was named after him. Chief RedBird (Tatsu'hwa), is the Son of Chief Great Eagle, Grandson of Moytoy and the Great Grandson of Amato. The Cherokee dwelled in the Holston River Valley, Clinch River Valley and the Appalachian mountains. To save themselves from being extracted and becoming part of the Trail of Tears, the Cherokees subsequently hid in the surrounding mountains primarily known today as Russell, Scott, Tazewell, Wise and Washington Counties of Virginia, Harding, Leslie and Clay counties of Kentucky, Graham County, Carter County and Johnson County of Tennessee. In 1997 we became Incorporated first as the Cherokee Indian nation of the Appalachians Tribe, then amended to our present name, The Appalachian Cherokee Nation, Inc and became a Tax Exempt non-profit organization according to the requirements of the IRS Code 501(c) (3) which we will maintain as one means of fulfilling our mission

The "Appalachian Cherokee Nation", is one of over 200 non-federally recognized Indian tribes in the United States. Our members reside in the states of Kentucky, Indiana, North Carolina, Ohio, Oregon, Texas, Mississippi, Florida, Tennessee, Wisconsin, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania Virginia, and West Virginia. We are a proud and sovereign, indigenous people with great respect and honor. Our people have always been a tribe of people who have both lived off and respected the land. We believe that the Creator gave us Grandfather Sky and Grandmother Earth and that all the creatures were placed here for a reason. We hold hands, go in one direction, all communicating in one accord, singing one song, saying one prayer, and walking the next decades together with one voice. Our survival and the survival of future generations must continue....

Link: http://www.eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2013-06/uota-uot061913.php

University of Tennessee professor finds prehistoric rock art connected; maps cosmological belief
UUT anthropology professor Jan Simek finds art is strategically placed to reveal a cosmological puzzle

(excerpt)
"The cosmological divisions of the universe were mapped onto the physical landscape using the relief of the Cumberland Plateau as a topographic canvas," said Simek.

The "upper world" included celestial bodies and weather forces personified in mythic characters that exerted influences on the human situation. Mostly open-air art sites located in high elevations touched by the sun and stars feature these images. Many of the images are drawn in the color red, which was associated with life.

The "middle world" represented the natural world. A mixture of open air and cave art sites hug the middle of the plateau and feature images of people, plants and animals of mostly secular character.

The "lower world" was characterized by darkness and danger, and was associated with death, transformation and renewal. The art sites, predominantly found in caves, feature otherworldly characters, supernatural serpents and dogs that accompanied dead humans on the path of souls. The inclusion of creatures such as birds and fish that could cross the three layers represents the belief that the boundaries were permeable. Many of these images are depicted in the color black, which was associated with death....