Notice of Intended Repatriation: Birmingham Museum of Art, Birmingham, AL

Issuing agencies

Abstract

In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) intends to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

Full Text

<html>
<head>
<title>Federal Register, Volume 91 Issue 167 (Monday, August 31, 2026)</title>
</head>
<body><pre>
[Federal Register Volume 91, Number 167 (Monday, August 31, 2026)]
[Notices]
[Pages 55910-55911]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [<a href="http://www.gpo.gov">www.gpo.gov</a>]
[FR Doc No: 2026-17708]


-----------------------------------------------------------------------

DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR

National Park Service

[N7459; NPS-WASO-NAGPRA-NPS0043592; PPWOCRADN0-PCU00RP14.R50000]


Notice of Intended Repatriation: Birmingham Museum of Art, 
Birmingham, AL

AGENCY: National Park Service, Interior.

ACTION: Notice.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------

SUMMARY: In accordance with the Native American Graves Protection and 
Repatriation Act (NAGPRA), the Birmingham Museum of Art (BMA) intends 
to repatriate certain cultural items that meet the definition of 
unassociated funerary objects and that have a cultural affiliation with 
the Indian Tribes or Native Hawaiian organizations in this notice.

DATES: Repatriation of the cultural items in this notice may occur on 
or after September 30, 2026.

ADDRESSES: Send additional, written requests for repatriation of the 
cultural items in this notice to Dr. Anne Forschler-Tarrasch, Director 
of Collections & Exhibitions, Birmingham Museum of Art, 2000 Rev. 
Abraham Woods, Jr. Boulevard, Birmingham, AL 35203, email 
<a href="/cdn-cgi/l/email-protection#84e5e2ebf6f7e7ece8e1f6c4e5f6f0f7e6e9e5aaebf6e3"><span class="__cf_email__" data-cfemail="7213141d0001111a1e17003213000601101f135c1d0015">[email&#160;protected]</span></a>.

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 
BMA, and additional information on the determinations in this notice, 
including the results of consultation, can be found in the summary or 
related records. The National Park Service is not responsible for the 
determinations in this notice.

Abstract of Information Available

    A total of three cultural items have been requested for 
repatriation. The three unassociated funerary objects are one pipe 
bowl, one string of shell beads, and one axe head. On unknown dates, 
the items were removed from Lauderdale County, Alabama by Dr. Samuel 
Fischer, III, of Birmingham, Alabama. The pipe bowl and string of shell 
beads were removed from Florence, Lauderdale County, Alabama. The axe 
head was removed from Seven Mile Island, Tennessee River, Lauderdale 
County, Alabama. In 1969, Fischer donated the items to the BMA as part 
of a larger donation including Native American human remains and 
associated funerary objects, since published in Notices of Inventory 
Completion in the Federal Register, as

[[Page 55911]]

well as other Native American items collected from different locations 
along the Tennessee River.

Determinations

    The BMA has determined that:
    <bullet> The three unassociated funerary objects described in this 
notice are reasonably believed to have been placed intentionally with 
or near human remains, and are connected, either at the time of death 
or later as part of the death rite or ceremony of a Native American 
culture according to the Native American traditional knowledge of a 
lineal descendant, Indian Tribe, or Native Hawaiian organization. The 
unassociated funerary objects have been identified by a preponderance 
of the evidence as related to human remains, specific individuals, or 
families, or removed from a specific burial site or burial area of an 
individual or individuals with cultural affiliation to an Indian Tribe 
or Native Hawaiian organization.
    <bullet> There is a connection between the cultural items described 
in this notice and The Chickasaw Nation.

Requests for Repatriation

    Additional, written requests for repatriation of the cultural items 
in this notice must be sent to the authorized representative identified 
in this notice under ADDRESSES. Requests for repatriation may be 
submitted by 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 cultural items in this notice to a requestor 
may occur on or after September 30, 2026. If competing requests for 
repatriation are received, the BMA must determine the most appropriate 
requestor prior to repatriation. Requests for joint repatriation of the 
cultural items are considered a single request and not competing 
requests. The BMA is responsible for sending a copy of this notice to 
the Indian Tribes and Native Hawaiian organizations identified in this 
notice and to any other consulting parties.
    Authority: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act, 
25 U.S.C. 3004 and the implementing regulations, 43 CFR 10.9.

    Dated: August 20, 2026.
Melanie O'Brien,
Manager, National NAGPRA Program.
[FR Doc. 2026-17708 Filed 8-28-26; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 4312-52-P


</pre><script data-cfasync="false" src="/cdn-cgi/scripts/5c5dd728/cloudflare-static/email-decode.min.js"></script></body>
</html>