Thursday, October 26, 1976
UP FROM DUST AND DARKNESS
I
NORTH CAROUNA
INDIANS [CONT.]
How do North Carolina Indi
an compare with other Indi
ans all across the nation?
The population of the Amer
ican Indians at the arrival of
Columbus, as I have already
stated elsewhere, was an esti
mated 850,000 in what is now
the continental United States.
That is, the U.S. exclusive of
her extra-continental posses
sions, such as the state of
Hawaii. But Native Alaskans
are American Indians, too.
Today the American Indians
and Alaska natives are esti
mated at better than 800,000.
Because of this plus today’s
high birth rate among Ameri
can Indians, writers have long
been proclaiming to the world
that the American Indian “is
no longer a vanishing race,’’
seemingly out of a sense of
alarm. Such writers seemingly
still espouse the prejudicial,
old belief that “the only good
Indian is a dead one.’’ But
while it is a fact that the
population growth is higher
now for American Indians and
Alaska natives than that for
the general population at
large, the population growth of
other ethnic groups has not
only held its own, but doubled,
trippled and even quadrupled
since the advent of Columbus.
And the infant mortality rate
for American Indians is higher
than for anyone else, and that
is true of American Indians
right here in Robeson County,
North Carolina, according to
county health statistics for the
three races. As to the life span
of the three races of Robeson,
according to the same health
statistics, it is highest for
white people, lowest for Black
people and the Indians fall
somewhere in between. As
among other groups of Ameri
can Indians throughout the
Indian world, Robeson’s infan-
tality rate among Indians is
much higher than for the
population at large.
About one-half of the nation’s
American Indians live on
Government reservations, the
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— By Lew Barton-
other half living in urban and
rural areas. Practically all
Indian reservations are located
in the Western part of the
nation and impoverished vil
lages of largely-barren Alaska.
While the Lumbee Indians
became citizens of the United
States following the conclusion
of the Revolutionary War, a
conflict in which they fought
side by side with other Ameri
cans, and remained so until
they were deprived of their
citizenship in 1835, as did also
the Cherokees of western
North Carolina, most other
American Indians were not
made citizens of the United
States until 1925, and even
then it took an Act of Con
gress. Even then, Indian vot
ing rights were not recognized
by all states until judicial
action on their behalf was
taken in 1948. In individual
cases, however, citizenship
rights for various Indian
groups, including the Lumbee,
date back to colonial times.
Although Indians on reser
vations are understandably not
required to pay real estate
taxes, they are required to pay
all other taxes just as anyone
else.
The average income of Amer
ican Indians, considered as a
group, falls to the lowest point
of any ethnic group in the
United States. It is roughly
one-half of that of the poverty
level of the nation as a whole.
Indians living in remote
reservation areas are virtually
inaccessible because of a lack
of good roads. Productivity of
their arid lands is understand
ably minimal. The diversion of
water from their lands to new
communities for non-Indians
has been called the most
critical of all reservation pro
blems.
The unemployment rate, high
now for the entire country, is
and -has always been even
higher for Indians. Because of
the remoteness of their reser
vations, at least a good
one-half of all adult Indian
males are unemployed.
^IfsThe
Fhe Life and Times of
Henry Berry Lowi^ ;
■ oy &. L. barton
It is estimated that about
four-fifths of all Indian hous
ing is sub-standard.
In the light of all this, and
other adverse conditions not
even touched, is it any wonder
that American Indians have
the highest suicide rate in the
U.S.? The suicide rate among
American Indians is twice that
of the national average.
Indian lands have disappear
ed just as the wildlife which
once sustained the Indian.
Indians today own less than
3% of the land they occupied
at the coming of the white
man. In fact, less than one-
third of the land originally
placed in the trusteeship of the
U.S. Government “in order
that no one could take it from
the Indians” still remains
today. Not even the United
States Government could or
would prevent people from
acquiring Indian lands by hook
or crook. And this refers to
lands reserved for Indians
through valid U.S.-Indian trea
ties! It takes a full-time
judicial body, the U.S. Indian
Gaims Commission, to look
after the valid, legal land
rights of the American Indians
and it is doubtful if they will
ever catch up with their legal
work, there is such a backlog
of it piled upl
Yes, the Indians of Robeson
and adjacent counties are
better off without the Bureau
of Indian Affairs as custodians
of their lands! We still occupy
the original lands occupied by
us when the first permanent
white settlements were made
in the area now comprised in
Robeson and adjoining coun
ties of North Carolina. And
that is saying a lot more than
can be truthfully said of most,
if not all other groups of
American Indians!
We have stuck right here on
our ancestral lands, come
Hades or high water; al
though throughout a major
portion of our history in this
location, ,W9 have had much of.
both. We have been right here
in this self-same location since
1650, if the reckoning of local
Many local men, duimg
Henry Berry Lowry’s Reign of
Justice (1864-1872), who
seemingly had everything go
ing for them, could not fight
off the temptation to track
down the notorious Lowry
Gang. The prospect of being
the man to murder Henry
Berry Lowry and the Lowry
Gang was financially reward
ing as well as gaining a great
deal of prestige. And every
one, be it conscious or uncon
scious, possesses a secret
desire to become famous in
one’s own lifetime. One such
man was Captain Owen Clin
ton Norment.
The Norment family had long
been among the more promi
nent and wealthy families in
Robeson County. Although a
vast amount of wealth was tied
up in slaves, the abolition of
slavery following the end of
the Civil War did little to
decrease the Norments’ weal
th or their political power in
the county. At one time “Black
Owen”, so called because of
his black eyes, hair and beard,
had a grandfather who was
chairman of the county court,
his father was solicitor, and his
uncle was clerk. Futhermore,
Black Owen was commission
ed a lieutenant during the war
in a company that was com
manded by his brother.
After Lee surrendered to
Grant at Appomattox. Black
Owen was commissioned a
lieutenant in the Robeson
County police company. He
so distinguished himself by
combing the woods and
swamps for lying out Indians
that he was raised to the rank
of captain. It was only fitting
and proper that he was put in
charge of a company of men
and entrusted with the task of
tracking down and ridding the
historians is correct, and I
believe it is. And knowing the
tenacity of my beloved people,
it would not surprise me to
learn from my eternal abode
that they were still here in
2650!
People.cpmejoRobeson, stay
Robeson and
tjileav^-.Rabeson. But the Lum
bee Indians go on forever!
'Long live the Lumbees!
county of the Lowry Gang once
and for all.
Black Owen and Henry Berry
were bitter enemies. There is
mention made in W, McKee
Evans’ “To Die Game” of an
embarrassing incident where
the two men came face to face
at Sunday School services
being held at Back Swamp
Church. Unfortunately for
him, Norment was unarmed
unlike Henry Berry who was
fully armed. For this reason
only a few hate-filled words
were exchanged before the
two departed. This was not the
only incident in which Henry
Berry humiliated the proud
Norment. It was not uncom
mon for Black Owen to lead a
company of men in one vicinity
only to find that Henry Berry
and his men had only moments
earlier left, or to learn later
that while they were in one
section the outlawed gang was
enjoying a home-cooked meal
prepared by a wealthy white’s
wife who was persuaded to do
so by the Lowry Gang, It
seemed that the Gang always
stayed a step ahead of their
pursuers. This talent Henry
Berry possessed of outwitting
and many times humiliating
his pursuers only added to his
fame and popularity and gave
Black Owen an added incen
tive.
By the fall of 1S69, how
ever, the determination and
drive of Black Owen paid off.
He was directly, or indirectly
responsible for six Indians and
two Blacks being anested. All
were thought to be among the
more constant members of the
Lowry Gang. Eli Ewin (Shoe
maker John) and John Dial,
one of the meaner-looking
members of the gang who had
a wart the size of a marble
under his left eye, were
induced, probably by torture
and bribes, to reveal the
identity of others purported to
be members of the Lowry
Gang. Things were definitely
looking better for Capt. Nor
ment. More arrests were forth
coming as the result of the
information extracted from
Dial and Ewin.
Black Owen was not satisfied
however for Henry Berry
Lowry and Ross Strong, his
righi-liand man, were still
free. The six Indians arrested
were: Tom Lowry, Stephen
Lowry, Henderson Oxendine
and his brother Calvin, and
John Dial (the sixth Indian was
possibly James Locklear, a
lesser known member of the
gang). George Applewhite and
Eli Ewin (Shoemaker John)
were the two Black members
arrested. It should be noted
that Andrew Strong did not
actively join the Lowry Gang
until 1870, and therefore could
not have possibly been the
sixth Indian arrested. It should
be noted here that the identity
of the sixth Indian arrested
above (James Locklear) is
mere speculation on my part.
The trial for the 8 members of
the Lowry Gang was slated for
the spring term of Superior
Court in Robeson County,
1870.
Continued next week.
OFFTffEIKAlX
To op ^
WITH A .
eiPOBsettuiz
Governor Proclaims
Awareness Week
The North Carolina Commission of Indian
Affairs recently announced that Gov. Jim
Holshouser had proclaimed the week of
October 10-16 “Native American Awareness
Week” in North Carolina,
A. Bruce Jones, a Lumbee Indian, and
executive director of the N.C. Commission of
Indian Affairs, accepted the proclamation in the
name of all Indians in North Carolina.
An Executive Proclamation was issued
commending this observance to the citizens of
the State.
The text of the proclamation is as follows;
WHEREAS, few non-Indian people today recognize
the vast contributions made by native Americans to
many and varied professions and occupations; and
WHEREAS, there is a strong and renewed interest
in the self-preservation of all aspects of Indian culture
and heritage; and
WHEREAS, there is urgency to promote a unified
effort of all for the common good, and to bring about a
more wholesome relationship among native
Americans; and
WHEREAS, the native American population is
working for a better future, for a revivalof participation
in the tribal affairs, and for a revival of moral support
for the tribal councils; and
WHEREAS, the native American communities are
voicing greater self-expression and exposure of their
values to surrounding communities and are takirig a
more active role in the use and development of their
skills andresources; and
WHEREAS, Indians were a significant influence in
the colonization of North Carolina and have contributed
much to our State ever since;
WHEREAS, we are proud that today North
Carolina ranks fifth among all the states in our native
American population;
THEREFORE, I proclaim the week of
October 10-16, 1976 NATIVE AMERICAN
AWARENESS WEEK IN NORTH CAROUNA
and commend this observance to our citizens.
The Commission Board and Staff endorse this
action and hope that this effort will create a better
understanding of Native Americans and their
culture.
-Page 13. The Carolina Indian Voice '
[ “moTI
mcKS I
RINGO STARR’S newest
single, “A Dose of Rock
'n Roll,” features none
cither than PETER
FRAMPTON on lead gui
tar... PAUL McCartney
and WINGS will have a
live album out by Christ
mas. It’ll feature perfor
mances from their recent
U.S. tour...Other artists
who will be out with
nifties in time for the holi
days include SLY STONE,
AMERICA and KINKY
FRIEDMAN...IKE and
'TINA TURNER have sep
arated... ELTON JOHN’S
recent disclosure of his bi
sexuality caused much
less comment than you
would think. Maybe be
cause evetyone in rock
has known about it for
years...LABELLE’s new
“Chameleon” LP fairly
^tters, but there's noth
ing on it that will dupli
cate the success of their
“Lady Marmalade” hit.
Still, LABELLE’s fans
won’t be disappointed...
We also like BONNIE
BRAMLETT’s new LP.
“Lady’s Choice,” in
which she sings some
duets with GREGG ALL-
MAN...GRAND FUNK
RAILROAD seems to have
a winner in their new . ;
“Good Singin’ Good
Playin’” album.
KIDS KOKKCK
. -T CHAM0ERLAIN
I HOLbS THE CAKEEk
I RECOkP rot? TOTAL
] POINTS AT 3I,4I9!
WHO HOLPS THE
PUNNER-MP SfOT
[ WITH ae.TlO rtMNTS?
A OSCAR PO0EPT6ON
0. JERRY WEST
C. EL6IN 0AYLOR
uos4J9qcu:jaMsuf
A
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A
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E
\ L
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A
A
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I
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When you can’t relax
and can't get to sleep,
fill your tub with Kot water
and submerge yourself
to the neck for about 20
minutes. You’U sur
prised at the results.
ATTHE UPFtR
LfiFT AKP DRAW A
STRAKtHT JJNE,OHE
LETTfeR AT ATIME,
IN /^AXDIRECriON.
■me REMAINING-
j-E-rreR.*9 WILL
S-FELU oar THE.
NAME. OF yv»
I SkTHTTE FLOWETt;
Kids That
Count
For Continued Public School Improvement:
Re-Elect Craig Phillips
State Superintendent of Public Instruction
EXPERIENCED — QUALIFIED — PROVEN
26 Years As A Teacher — Coach — Asst. Principal — Principal
Asst. Superintendent — Superintendent — State Superintendent
^TCsThe
Kids That
Count
99
PAID FOR DY PEMDROKE SUPPORTERS OF CRAIG PHILUPS
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