About
James Everett Meeks,
Commissioner of Indian Affairs for Middle Tennessee
Nashville, TN., December 14, 2007 -The Speaker of the Tennessee House of Representatives has made the appointment of James Everett Meeks to the Commission of Indian Affairs as the representative for Middle Tennessee. In this position Mr. Meeks will be liaison to find means whereby to deal fairly and effectively with Tennessee Native American Indians; to bring local, state and federal resources into focus for the implementation or continuation of meaningful programs for Indian citizens of the state of Tennessee; for providing aid and protection for Native American Indians as needs are demonstrated; to prevent undue hardships to Tennessee Native American Indians; to assist Native American Indian communities in social and economic development; and to promote the recognition of, and the right of Indians to pursue, cultural and religious traditions considered by them to be sacred and meaningful to Tennessee Native American Indians.
Mr. Meeks is from Tracy City, Tennessee. He was born in Sewanee Tennessee to the family of James Huston and Evelyn Lawson Meeks, both of whom were born in Tracy City. His father, who died in 2000, was a minister in the Congregational Methodist and the Nazarene Church and was involved in local politics in Grundy County. His mother, was a School Teacher who last taught Spanish at Grundy County High School.
Mr. Meeks is the oldest of four children of James Huston and Evelyn Lawson Meeks. His siblings are Johannah, who resides in Franklin, NC; Tim, a police officer in Murfreesboro, and Jeremy, who is in banking with Regions Bank. He has one daughter, Rena Elizabeth, who lives in Augusta, GA.
Mr. Meeks has been in some facet of business consulting for the past 20 years. He has also local, state, and National Political candidates in Political campaigns whether via direct connection to the people of the state or via electronic media. He has also participated with groups that attempted to address social and economic issues in the public forum to get the legislators to act.
Mr. Meeks is a member of the Chikamaka Band of the South Cumberland Plateau. The Chikamaka are an historic band of Native American Indians. This Tribal group is working with Tennessee Native American Indians across the state to ensure economic and social welfare development for the people of Tennessee.
Mr. Meeks has stated of himself,
“I may not be a perfect person, but I am striving to render aid, understanding, social development and economic development to the American Indian Communities of Tennessee. Is this an easy task? No, but it is a task that must be undertaken to ensure self-realization to our progeny. I want to be a part of representing those who wish to procure for those who are yet to be ‘life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.”
For more information on Tennessee Native American Indians in Tennessee:
Tennessee Commission of Indian Affairs
Confederation of Tennessee Native Tribes
Chikamaka Band of the South Cumberland Plateau
Contact Info:
James Everett Meeks
PO Box 1209
Tracy City, TN 37387
Telephone: 615-885-2973
Facsimile: 615-523-1479
Email: tcia@jemeeks.com