James Ernest Goins was an American politician who served as the chairman of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina from 2004 to 2010. As Lumbee Tribal Chairman, Goins led efforts to gain federal recognition for the Lumbee tribe during the 2000s. The 55,000-member Lumbee have achieved North Carolina state recognition, but have not yet received federal recognition. The Lumbee are the largest tribe living east of the Mississippi River who have not received federal recognition.