ROBESON COUNTY, N.C.
PUBLISHED EACH THURSDAY
acquisitions department
UNC.
WILSON LIBRARY
CHAPEL ;-:iLL,.iC 27I .-
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■A GOOD Race to livl
rUDLlOOOL-^ u.rv^ii i 1
THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE
Dedicated to the best in all of us ”
Ibedlcated To
The Best
Pin All Of I V
L ^ ^ Dedicated to the best in all of us ■" tinAiJOfi,-
> VOLUME 5, NUMBER 12 PEMBROKE, N.C. “ THURSDAY, MARCH 24, 1977 • ******
COPY
GROUND BREAKING CEREMONIES ^
^ OFFICIALLY OPENS SEASON FOR
FIRST AMERICAN COOPERATIVE, INC.
WAREHOUSE
2nd Annual Indian
Unity Conference Held
In Greensboro
Co-sponsored By L.R.D.A.
And N.C. Indian Commission
The three day N.C. Indian Unity
Conference ended last Friday in
Greensboro. Some two hundred Indians
from North Carolina attended the
second annual event co-sponsored by
the N.C. Commission on Indian Affairs
and the Lumbee Regional Development
Association, Inc.
On Wednesday, the conference was
addressed by Dr. H. Lindy Martin, dean
of Student Affairs at Sanford University
in Birmingham and Dr. George Blue
Spruce, Jr.
Dr. Martin is a native of Robeson
County and is tentatively planning a
race for the U.S. Senate in Alabama.
Dr. Blue Spruce. Jr. is chairman of the
Intra Dedeparlment Council on Indian
Affairs, HEW,
town above ore the temporary
ard of directors of the First
lericon Cooperative, Inc. They ore
(left to right) Weldon Lockleor,
acting choirmon; Drodie Locklear,
Elios Rogers, H. Dobbs Oxendine,
Bobby Moody, Rufus Burns, Jr., and
Locy Collins.
Dr. Blue Spruce, Jr. cautioned the
audience to be wary of a growing
national feeling that Indians “have
received too much too soon...”
j^UMBERTON-State tobacco
^ rketing officials joined local officials
dnesday morning in breaking land
Robeson Count/s newest tobacco
rehouse. First American
operative, Inc. located on Highway
L approximately 2 miles east of
fmberton.
Warehouse is a member of the
Lumberton Tobacco Board of Trade.
That board’s newly elected president,
Ralph Hunt was on hand for the
ceremonies which took place at 10 a.m.
Also attending was J.T. “Tommy”
Bunn, North Carolina Tobacco
Marketing Specialist.
le construction contract on the
rehouse was awarded to Myrick
.istruction, Inc, of Star, N.C.
-rchitect Cameron Brown of Star
■Jgned the steel and concrete structure
'ich will allow 106,000 square feet in
)r space. Seven personnel offices
I be housed in the building which
I be situated on an 18 acre tract
ween Lumberton and Pembroke.
Remarks also were made by O. Tom
Blanks and Dr. M.L. Brooks, both long
time enthusiastics for economic
development in Robeson County. J.T.
“Tommy” Bunn, representing the
N.C. Department of Agriculture, also
lauded the new venture.
9ie nine-member board of directors
mises to have the warehouse
ipleted, and ready to serve the
iple this tobacco-selling season.
Attorney Horace Locklear, legal
counsel for the newly formed coop,
presided during the ground breaking
ceremonies.
te First American Cooperative
Approximately 75 fanners and well
wishers attended the ground breaking
ceremonies, in spite of a very brisk and
biting cold momine.
Auditions Held For
2nd Season of
‘Strike at the Wind!’
Bruce Jones, director of the N.C.
Commission on Indian Affairs, is
shown addressing the audience
Thursday night. Shown of the dois
with him ore (left to right) Howard
Lee, secretory of the Deportment of
Natural and Economic Resources,
Rep. Horoce Lockleor, who
introduced the speaker; Kenneth
Moynor, director of Lumee Regional
Development Association and Rev.
James H. Woods, Chairman of the
Board of Lumbee Regional
Development Assodotion.
. his past weekend was audition time
I the local outdoor drama, “Strike at
Wind!” located near Pembroke.
Cpiring actors and actresses came from
over the state to compete for the 60
js in the show.
^Frank, you read the part of the sheriff
^i Lee, you do the sheriffs wife,”
rector Arthur McDonald instructed
! people on the stage. “Let’s hearhow
' d your voice is,” he yelled.
ver 150 persons braved cloudy
ather Saturday and Sunday
;moons to display their talents,
sre was a five-year-old kindergarten
1; a retired gentleman from England;
dents from Raleigh and Greenville;
1 of course, talent from the
the Lumbee Indians and their folk hero,
Henry Berry Lowrie. North Carolina’s
most notorious outlaw, Lowrie and his
tri-racial gang were Robin Hood figures
to the poor and oppressed people during
the period following the Civil War, The
real rtiystery is that the Lumbee leader
disappeared with a $30,000 bounty on
his head never to be seen again.
Randolph Umberger has portrayed the
triumphs and tragedies of all people
during this time in the outdoor drama,
“Strike At The Wind!”
Pembroke Welcomes
New Dentist
rounding counties.
jWonderful response,” remarked Dr.
.;Donald, “as is evident from the
nout, this year’s show will be
( quely different. Next comes the hard
of casting the various persons in
table roles.”
“We have several good possibilities
for the leading role of Henry Berry
Lowrie,” said Lane Hudson, News
Director for the drama, “about a
half-dozen young men have tried out for
the part but the final selections for all the
roles will be Dr. McDonald’s
decision.”
PEMBROKE-NEW DENTIST IN
TOWN: Dr. and Mrs. Edward E.
Livingston, and daughters, Dawn and
Gena, were welcomed to Pembroke by
the lovely Miss Lumbee, Linda Gail
Locklear at a reception held in their
honor Sunday afternoon at Sim’s
Restaurant.
Said Dr. Livingston, “Pembroke was
Just the kind of town we were looking
for, a small and friendly town without a
dentist. I’ve found the people here to be
friendly, and though Pembroke is
smaller than Kinston (where the
Livingston.s are moving from), their
hearts are larger..."
.ir. McDonald, who also directed the
J)w in its first season in ’76, is
)fessor of Theatre at St. Andrews
:sbyterian College in Laurinburg. He
iiS given much of the credit for the
pw’s success in its premiere season
,ien over 17,000 persons saw “Strike
■ The Wind!” In a comparison of
^tistics released by the Institute of
i^tdoor Drama in Chapel Hill, the
'beson County show was the most
vcessful new outdoor drama in the
.tire nation last year.
The group was told that if they were
cast in the play, there would be 20 night
rehearsals during the month of June and
that there would be 28 performances as
compared to 21 shows last year. Dr.
McDonald also told the group they
would receive an honorarium of $200 at
the season’s end.
Mayor Reggie Strickland gave them a
key to the city and officially welcomed
them to Pembroke. The town has been
without a full time dentist and many
organizations and individuals Joined
hands to welcome the Livingstons to
town.
Pre,sently Dr. Livingston is open from
Wednesday through Saturday but
expects to open full time as soon as he
closes down his practice in Kinston
where the Livinstons formerly resided.
Hostesses for the reception were Mrs.
J.J. Juren and Mrs. Julian Ransom.
Originally from Penn,sylvania, Dr.
Livingston attended the Meharry
Medical School in Nashville. Tennes.sce
before moving to Kinston.
“Even if a person was in the show last
year, he isn’t guaranteed a slot in this
summer’s production,” said
McDonald. “We have had about 19 of
last year’s cast to audition for the 'll
show. There will be many new faces in
the drama, and some old faces from last
year will be in different roles.”
he show is different from most other
eductions of the same nature because
'“Strike At The Wind!” Blacks are
as Blacks, Indians as Indians, and
hites as Whites. Most shows don’t
t race specifically, ind usually White
liege students don red paint to
come Indians.
According to General Manager Rock
Kershaw, people are still needed to
work backstage with lighting, sound,
costuming and props. Anyone
interested should contact the “Strike At
The Wind!” office.
Strike At The Wind!” is the story of
“Strike At The Wind!” will play each
Wednesday through Saturday, June 29
until August 13, at the Lakeside
Amphitheatre near Pembroke. For more
information, call (919) 521-2401.
Miss Lumbee, Undo Goil Locklear,
was among frie many notables and
townspeople who welcomed the
Livingstons to Pembroke. (Elmer
Hunt Photo)
“There is a feeling Indians are benefit
ing too much from the citizen tax dol
lar.’'
Blue Spruce was in Greensboro
Wednesday as the opening speaker for a
three-day Indian Unity Conference at
the Hilton Inn. The second annual con
ference is sponsored by the N.C, Com
mission on Indian Affairs and the
Lumbee Regional Development Associa
tion, Inc.
Blue Spruce told about 200 Indians the
apparent growing antagonism against In
dian affairs is resulting in budget cut
backs in programs started in the early
70s.
He said the past five years were a
“heyday” for Indian affairs, with Con
gressmen jumping on the bandwagon to
support legislation.
The legislation has helped. Blue
Spruce explained, but there have been
problems. He said the use of the money
is not evenly distributed among all Indi
ans, with Indians living on reservations
receiving the bulk of the funds.
Representatives of Indians groups in
North Carolina are attending the three-
day conference as a means of sharing
concerns and needs. Resolutions identi
fying those concerns will be drafted and
sent to both state and federal officials.
One resolution, according to Kenneth
Maynor, executive director of the Lum
bee Regional Development Association,
will be support of additional funding for
Indian programs. The group also would
like to have the funds evenly distributed
between all Indian groups.
In addition to giving the various Indi
an groups an opportunity to participate
in workshops (with state officials) on
housing, discrimination, education and
federal and state legislation, the confer
ence also hopes to improve the image of
N.C. Indians, Bruce Jones, executive di
rector of N.C, Commission on Indian Af
fairs, explained.
“Not many North Carolinians realize
that this state has the fifth largest Indian
population in the country,” Jones said.
He said there are about 44,000 Indians
in the state—Coharies, Haliwas, Lum-
bees, Tuscaroras, Cherokees and Waca-
maha Siouxans.
The special speaker at the banquet
Thursday light was Howard Lee, the
secretary of Natural and Economic
Resources. He encouraged the
participants at the conference to stay
"on the firing line.” He noted too that
Indians and Blacks were under
represented at the department he was
recently named to head and he promised
to change that by bringing in “good
Indians and Blacks” who can take part
in the governmental process by working
within the beaurocracy.
He encouraged Indians to stay on the
firing line and to not give up no matter
what the adversity. He recalled some of
his recent disappointments, including a
loss in a race for a congressional seat
and hLs most recent loss in his try for Lt.
Governor of North Carolina. Said Lee.
“I promised myself a long lime ago that
I would never give up, never lower my
standards and that I would always have
a .sen.se of pride...that I would always
hold my head high.” Lee also stressed
economic development.
The conference concluded Friday with
an unexpected address by Labor
Commissioner John Brooks, and a
series of work shops on aspects of life
affecting Indians in North Carolina.
people
and places
and things
PEMBROKE RECREATION
COMMISSION SPONSOR
PLATE SALE
A list of about 100 recommendations
prepared by the American Indian Policy
and Review Commission could be affect
ed by a growing naOonal feeling that In
dians “have received too much too
soon,” an Indian federal official said
Wedriesday.
“People are saying that Indian people
have never had it so good as in the last
10 years,” explained Dr. George Blue
Spruce, chairman of the Intra-Depart-
mental Council on Indian Affairs, De
partment of Health, Education and
Welfare,
The Pembroke Recreation
Commission will be having a chicken
and barbecue plate sale on Friday, April
15, 1977 from 11:00 a.m, to 6:00 p.m.
at Pembroke Town Hall. Tickets may be
purchased at $2.00 each from Police
Chief Vernon Oxendine or any
Recreation Commission member.
Blue Spruce described this antagonism
as a paradox, saying the Indian still
ranks at the bottom in housing, employ
ment and education. He said ttie recom
mendations of the policy and review
commission, if accepted, could change
the way of life for the American Indian.
Two of the recommendatios of that
commission, which will be presented to
Congress, are self determination for In
dians (with the power to levy taxes) and
recognition of Indians as a sovereign na
tion.
Rev. William Earl Chavis will
participate in two other revivals in tne
Pembroke area with Rev. Roy Maynor
and Rev, S.D. Cummings.
PROSPEa HEAD START
CENTER ACCEPTING
ENROLLMENT APPLICATIONS
HALiWA INDIAN TRIBE
PLANS POW WOW
The Haliwa Indians are planning a Pow
Wow April 15 beginning at 4p.m. Main
event starting 11 a.m. Saturday, April
16. Guest speaker will be Mr. Joseph
W. Neale. Shawnee, American Indian
Advisor for 'Students at American!
University, Washington, D.C. He will
be assisted by A. Bruce Jones,
Executive Director, N.C. Indian
Commission.
PEMBROKE JAYCEES AND
JAYCETTES SPONSOR PLATE SALE
Any donations will also be
appreciated.
DAV CHAPTER SPONSORS
GOSPEL SING
The DAV (Disabled American
Veterans) Chapter 47, of Pembroke,
N.C. will go to the V.A. Hospital in
Fayetteville March 29. 1977 to sponsor
a gospel sing which will begin at 7 p.m.
Singers will be The Chavis Sisters
Quartet from McCoU, S.C.; The Island
Grove Baptist Church Choir of
Pembroke, N.C.
Everyone is welcome!
NEW BETHEL REVIVAL TO BEGIN
27, 1977 at New Bethel, Rt. 3, Fairmont
and runs through April 2. The Revivals
begin at 1:00 p.m. Sunday night and at
7:30 p.m. on all other nights. Special
music will be provided by choirs and
quartets each night. Rev. (Jake)
Douglas Mitchell and Rev. Tommy
Haggins will be guest speakers. The
public is cordially invited to attend.
NATIVE ROBESONIAN
EVANGEUST TO VISIT AREA
SPRING CONCERT TOUR OF PSU's
"SINGERS AND SWINGERS”
SET MARCH 29-APRIL 1
Evangelist William Earl Chavis,
formerly of Pembroke, N.C. and now
making his home in Taylor, Mich, is in
Evangelistic work full-time.
PEMBROKE—The annual spring
concert tour of the Pembroke State
University “Singers and Swingers”
will be held Tuesday through Friday,
March 29-April 1, with eight
performances scheduled.
March 6, 1977 Rev, Chavis was guest
speaker at First Free Will Baptist
Church of Flint, Mich, where there was
2 souls saved.
March 13, 1977 Rev. Chavis was guest
speaker at the Christian Fellowship
Mission in Detroit, Mich, with Bro..
Lee Locklear of the Pembroke area,
who is now making his home in
Michigan. The Lawson Family was
with Rev, Chavis to sing at this service.
The tour will be climaxed by a special
“Singers and Swingers” Spring
Concert at 8 p.m. Friday, April !. in the
PSU Performing Ans Center. The
performance is free to the public.
JOHN L. LOCKLEAR, JR.
OUTSTANDING AGENT
March 19, 1977 Rev. Chavis was in
Pine Knot, Kentucky for a revival
meeting at Stonefill Baptist Church.
March 27 he will be at the United
Baptist Church for Revival.
Rev. Chavis will be enroute to the
Pembroke area for Revival at Harpers
Ferry Baptist Church April 3, 1977
where Rev, Steve Jones is pastor.
Now until April 15, 1977 Prospect
Head Start Center will be accepting
applications for enrollment. Children
must be 4 years old by the 15th of
October. The Center also accepts
handicapped children. Applications
may be obtained from the Center
between the hours of 8:30 a.m. - 4:30
p.m, Monday through Friday. The
Center is located beside Old Prospect
United Methodist Church. Birth
certificate and short records required.
Those interested and unable to come by
the Center for applications may call
521-9200 and someone will come to the
home. Operated by Four-County
Community Services.
John L. Locklear, Jr.
John L, Locklear, Jr., agent for
Nationwide Insurance in Lumberton,
NC has been recognized as one of the
company’s Outstanding producers in
1976.
Locklear earned a Key Award by
leading 700 Nationwide agents in North
and South Carolina, Georgia and
Florida in the sale and serx’icing of
health insurance last year.
He has been a Nationwide agent since
1974.
HOLLIS LOCKLEAR JOINS RTI
The Pembroke Jaycees and Jaycettes
will sponsor a plate sale on Friday,
April 22 in the Pembroke Town Park
between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.
Tickets are currently being sold for two
dollars each. All proceeds will go to
Miss Lumbee, Linda Gail Locklear, to
help defray expenses for her
competition in the Miss North Carolina
Pageant in June.
Hollis Locklear
Hollis Locklear has joined the admin
istrative staff at Robeson Technical
Institute as the Veteran Aid and
Financial Aid Officer. The announce
ment was made by R. Craig Allen,
President. Locklear began his position
with the Student Services Department
last Wednesday.
A veteran of three years with the U.
S. Army. Locklear completed an associ
ate degree in accounting at-Robeson
Tech and received the most outstanding
business student award. He graduated
with honors from Pembroke State
University with a degree in business
administration. While at PSU he was
employed full-time at Robeson Tech as
Coordinator of Equipment and Coordi
nator at Evening Programs.
Revival begins Sunday night, March
Locklear, his wife Jeanette, and
daughter live in Red Springs.