University Completes Required Native Remains Inventory
Published Date: 7/22/2026
Notice
Summary
The University of Tennessee and the McClung Museum have finished listing 33 Native American ancestors and their belongings from two historic sites in Tennessee. These remains and items, linked to local tribes, are ready to be returned starting August 21, 2026. This important step honors Native cultures and follows federal law, with no costs mentioned for the public.
Analyzed Economic Effects
1 provisions identified: 1 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Return of 33 Native American Ancestors
The University of Tennessee and the Frank H. McClung Museum will return human remains representing 33 Native American individuals and 39 lots of associated funerary objects from two Polk County, Tennessee sites (40PK1/Ocoee and 40PK16). The remains and items are identified as culturally affiliated with the Cherokee Nation; Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians; The Muscogee (Creek) Nation; and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians in Oklahoma and may be repatriated on or after August 21, 2026. Written repatriation requests must be sent to Dr. Ellen Lofaro, University of Tennessee, Office of Repatriation.
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Previous / Next Documents
Previous: 2026-14722, Notice of Intended Repatriation: The University of Tennessee, Department of Anthropology, Knoxville, TN, and the Frank H. McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture, Knoxville, TN
The University of Tennessee and the McClung Museum plan to return 18 groups of historic Cherokee items, like textiles and plant samples, taken from burial sites in Tennessee back to Native American tribes. This repatriation will start on or after August 21, 2026, honoring cultural traditions and respecting Native heritage. No money changes hands, but the process strengthens important connections between the university and Native communities.
Next: 2026-14724, Notice of Intended Repatriation: the University of Tennessee, Department of Anthropology, Knoxville, TN, and the Frank H. McClung Museum of Natural History & Culture, Knoxville, TN
The University of Tennessee and the McClung Museum plan to return six groups of Native American cultural items to the tribes they belong to. These items, found in Tennessee and linked to the Mississippian period, will be repatriated starting August 21, 2026. This respectful return honors Native American traditions and involves no cost to the public.