Tuscarora Nation

The history of the Indigenous Tuscarora Nation of eastern North Carolina, their early struggles with Euro-Colonialism, and their continued, present-day fight to be recognized as a Sovereign nation.

  • Marcus Mizelle
    Director
    Belle Vie, Something In The Water
  • Marcus Mizelle
    Producer
    Belle Vie, Something In The Water
  • Robert Chavis
    Key Cast
  • Timothy Jacobs
    Key Cast
  • David LaVere
    Key Cast
  • Sam Jemma
    Key Cast
  • Marcus Mizelle
    Editor
  • Shanna Dempsey
    Editor
  • Meghan Moxsky
    Editor
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Social Issue, Indigenous, Drama, Documentary
  • Runtime:
    25 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 14, 2025
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    United States
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital, Sony S-Cinetone
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Marcus Mizelle

2x Emmy® winning Director, Producer, and Editor. Owner of Forte Pictures, a Los Angeles-based company specializing in A-Z film and doc production, post and delivery.

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Director Statement

While filming my previous doc "Something In The Water: A Kinston Basketball Story," I learned of the history of my hometown and the Indigenous Tuscarora people that used to inhabit the area. This stuck with me, and, long story short, I decided to pursue a doc about the Tuscarora people and took time to reach out and connect through the proper channels, befriending elders Robert Chavis and Timothy Jacobs, who kindly shared their stories with me.

I quickly learned many interesting insights including that their final battle was fought one mile from my grandmother's house. It simply blew my mind that I never knew, nor did anyone else I grew up with. The biggest takeaway when making this film, and hopefully the same for the viewer, is that whether you are from North Carolina or anywhere else in America - this is the history lesson we never got growing up, but should have.