EEDITORIAL,
VD OPIaC
PAGE
tot Know Where We Are Going
Iff We Dont Know Where We've Been...
So fittingly we honor our Pioneer Fathers
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| As I See It
by Bruce Barton
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CENTRAL PR1SI0N IS A
MEAN AND LIFE
ROBBING PLACE...
Central Prision in Raleigh is
a death trap, no doubt about it.
The place smells of death. It's
in the air. everywhere one
turns. The place is life rob
bing. demeaning, and depres
sing to the human spirit. It is
hard to look up in Central
Prision because everything is
drab and dank and dark and
depressing. One's spirit is
disturbed by the smells and
* sights of Central Prison.
I pulled time there in the
60's: I am not proud of it but
neither am I ashamed of it. I
learned more about life than I
will ever learn again. I learned
how to appreciate life and how
to live for the moment, being
thankful for each and every
breath.
I grew up in Central Prison; I
learned how to get along (at
the threat of my life) with
other human beings, a neces
sary trait one must develop if
, one is to live.
But the state and the ad
ministration and tkj? prison
ftuards are not helpful;. 1 would
?fay theybrb psfr of the
Continuing problem within the
walls of Central Prison. They
look down their long state
noses at the prisoners, treat
ing them with demeaning
condescension. It is the worst
kind of racism. I will never ,
forget how shoddily 1 . was
treated in Central Prison. To
me. Central Prison might be
the worst place to be on the
face of this earth.
Central Prison was built at 4
the turn of the century or
before to house maybe 800
prisoners: the last account I
had there were some 1300
crammed within the awful
place. When I was there there
was hardly room to turn
around. Trouble erupted often
because we were in one
another's way. We--had no
breathing room.
There arc some 130 people
(including thoae on death row)
locked up all day long (except
far an hour of recreation daily)
on maximum security on what
is known as A. 6. and J
Mocks. They live slooe in
single cells, awaiting disposi
f tion of their cases. A number
of them on these cell blocks
are from Robeson County.
The cells measure 6 by 9 feet.
Except for showers twice a
week, trips to the hospital and
a visit ever once in a while
from family or friends, the
men spend 23 hours a day in
their cell Mock. Their food is
brought to them.
Recently a spate of com
plaints have filtered out from
the mean confines of maxi
mum security. There have
heea incidents where men
have mutilated themselves so
someone will listen to their
complaints.
I have received an under
ground paper entitled The '
Renegade . I will not reveal
my source unless (he source
expressly asks me to; there
might be reprisals against
him,
But I want to share this
underground news with you: it
is real and disturbing and
painful. But. interesting e
nough, it is well written and is
more than diatribe. The writer
is controlled and hopeful. But
the letter cries out for help...
as if to say. "help us before it
is too late."
Here it is. I can vouch for its
truthfulness because I have
been there.
THE RENEGADE
Central Prison
Underground Newspaper
Please Read aad Pass On:
Hundreds at Central Prison
convicts, by aad through Jail
House Lawyer, Wayne Brooks,
recently filed a collective pe
tition to Governor James B.
Hunt, Jr., calling for Warden
Sam Garrison's resignation
upon the grounds that undue
and inhumane conditions are
being caused at Central Prison
by die pre sent staff beginning
wtab the office of the Warden,
and because the conditions
created can be traced to the
inception of the present War
den of the Institution.
faffpd to do anything con
cerning the petition. Wlthto
the past two weeks sloae, over
eighteen convicts on Lockup
blocks have resorted to seif
mutllatlsn as a means to
protest against the cruel and
unusual punishment condi
tions that they are helag
subjected to in the farm of hut
e^haff Iso* tad**g, flbthy
one-hour dally recreation
period, and the like. So many
have boon cutting themselves
that medical staff have set-up
an on-tho-sceae First Aid
Station where unauthorised
stitching without Drat using a
deadening agent such as Nov
ocains. Such repaired Convicts
are thou thrown back in their
ceffs for additional suffering
due to the denial of pain killing
Sach have been
adewed to pert la I becaase, far
a aaaiber of yean, we have
beea toHag with very ean
aervative Federal J edge* In
Balolgh. Then lee, the new
ptbea will be Hale bed before
we tonld obtain relief In the
Federal Ceart In that that
waald make ear cententlena a
meat caae. In addition thereto,
we have aa meaalngfal grle
the Grievance Cemmlaalea'a
lack of enforcing power. Be
conee of the above, we cheeer
to aeek apeedy relief from
Governor Haat. However, H
appoan that he boo chooen not
lo Intervene In ear behalf.
WHY? Probably becaaoe we
have no VOTING POWER?!
la llgbt of the fere going, we
?ok that all conetratd convict*
please call apoa their outside
(amIlea aid Meads la write
the Honorable Jiaw B. Hani,
Jr., Governor of the Slate of
North Carolina, The Capital,
Raleigh, N.C. 27602, ON THE
DATE OF JULY 20, 1980 for
purposes of reqarsllag him to
order a thorough Investigation
Into the knhamaae and ao
ronstitBtional conditions that
we cooiplained to him aboat In
our petition.
OUR HOPE LIES IN OUR
FAMILIES AND FRIENDS
WHO STILL RETAIN THEIR
VOTING RIGHT!!
After reading this News
letter, please pass It on to a
fellow con. We can produce
but only a low copies oft
THE RENEGADE.
Jerry
Lowry
honored
The Board of Advisors for
the Outstanding Young Men of
America Awards Program
announced today that the men
named on'the attached THting
have been selected for in
clusion in the 1980 edition of
OUTSTANDING YOUNG
MEN OF AMERICA.
These men were selected
from nominations received
from Senators, Congressmen,
Governors, Mayors, State
Legislators, University and
College Presidents and Deans
as well as various civic groups
including the United States
Jaycees which also endorses
the Outstanding Young Men of
America Program.
In every community there are
young men working diligently
to make their cities, as well as
their country, better places in
which to live. These men,
having distinguished themsel
ves in one or more fields of
endeavor, are outstanding and
deserve to be recognized for
their achievements. The cri
teria for selection include a
man's voluntary service to
community, professional lead
ership. academic achieve
ment. business advancement,
cultural accomplishments and
civic and political participa
tion.
The men listed, along with
fellow Outstanding Young
Men throughout North Ameri
ca will be featured in this
prestigious annual awards
publication.
Their board of Advisors and
Editors salute all chosen as
Outstanding Young Men of
America, and take great pride
in bringing their accomplish
ments to the attention of the
American public.
Named from this area is:
Jerry Lewry, It. I, Boi 43?,
Rowland. N.C. 283*3
1965
Class
Reunion
the plane arc now underway
for the I4b5 data of Pembroke
High School. The date it let
for December 27. 1400 The
reunion la open to thote
dammalet who for tome rea
ton or another dropped out of
tchool,
Current addrettet are need
ed* All interetftd pertont
pirate call (harttv Revelt at
Ul iHl or ArdeN Jatubt at
*21 2JII for morr information
Make plant now to be uuh old
friend* and tlattmairt on
Drtember 27. 1400
THE
GRASSHOPPER
IS COMINGS
0
R4
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
rUSCARORA INDIAN HANDCRAFTS
AND CULTURAL CENTER. INC.
ROUTS S - BOX lOB
MAXTON. NORTH CAROLINA 18364
The Tuscarora Medicine Man
accompanied by Mr. Bracy
Jones Jr.. spent a day and
night in Atlanta. Georgia.
The Medicine Man met with
important people from all over
the world. The people were
amazed at the Man who is
bringing back the ways and
culture of the Tuscarora Indi
ans. especially since it has
been "lost" for 2W years.
The Medicine Man would like
to meet any one who has a
good knowledge of Roots and
Herbs. Some of you might
know something that was
passed on to you by a grand
parent or parent, if you do and
would like to share this
knowledge, you can contact
the Medicine Man by calling
844-3472. The Medicine man
will be glad to come to your
home and meet with you. Or
you can meet with him here at
the handcraft center.
Chief Leon Locklear and wife
Reatha will attend ROY MAR
TIN'S 12TH ANNUAL BLUE
GRASS FESTIVAL. July 18th
through July 27th. The Festi
val will be held in LAVON1A,
Georgia. Mr. Locklear will be
traveling in the Mobil Tus
carora Handcraft Shop. Tus
carora Indian Handcrafts and
I
Jewelry will be displayed and
sold at the festival
Any one wishing to see the
Handcrafts and Jewelry made
in the Tuscarora Indian Hand
crafts Shop can do so by
stopping by the Cultural Cen
ter or by going to the Shop, we
have some on display here at
the Center.
Open house is every Tuesday
from 8 til S and Yours Truly
will be here to greet you. So
stop by and say hello or come
in and visit for a while.
Our workers under the sum
mer Youth program are doing
a splendid job of cleaning up
the Reservation, and for that
we want to thank Michael
Locklear, Ernie Locklear,
Dannie R. Bullard, Victor
Locklear. Nelson Chavis. Dex
deral Chavis and Lacy Locklear.
Every Indian in Robeson
County is welcome to come out
and swim and fish, cook out,
camp out and. if you have a
camper, we have free hook
ups. So come on out and bring
the family. There is a bait shop
that serves refreshments and
hot sandwiches at a reasonable
price.
-by Peggy Barton, Secretary
APPLAUDS
LUMBEE
COURTESIES
To the editor:
My family and I had the
privilege of visiting Pembroke
recently, and it was a very
pleasant experience. We saw
your moving outdoor drama.
"Strike at the Wind," toured
the beautifck -Pembroke State
campus, and took in just about
the whole town.
The thing that impressed us
most about Pembroke, though,
was the friendliness and help
fulness of the very attractive
people there. We needed
directions to the amphitheatre
and found an extremely hand
some young man (with a
sparkling white smile and dark
eyes that set 16-year old
Connie's heart aflutter) who
took the time to give us explicit
directions. Then there was the
dazzling young Indian police
man and the magnificent tall,
dark, and beautiful young man
on a red sports car...
It goes without saying that we
really enjoyed our first trip to
Pembroke: the drama, the
"natives," and the town. We
felt so much at home in so
congenial an atmosphere. I
hope we can return soon. (We
have recently moved to Golds
boro from Ohio).
Caciila Layne
Arlington Bridge Rd.
Goldsboro
Concerned
Clergy &
Laity
to meet
HUNGER...
HUMAN BIGHTS...
PEACE...
Come to the first meeting of
Robeson Couaty Clergy and
Lalt* Concenyg. All church
members, pfaors, and com
munity menmn are invited to
attend. The meeting will be a
time to talk about our life in
Robeson County and how
problems here relate to those
in the rest of the world.
When: Monday night, July
21. at 7:30 p.m.
Where: Mt. Airy Baptist
Church in the Fellowship Hall
located on Highway 72 near
Pembroke, about 1 mile south
of the Maynor Center Cross
roads.
for more information call
Donna Chavis and Mac Leger
ton at 521-3269.
Now 200 years old, the
Iron Bridge over the Severn
River in Shropshire, England,
was the first bridge to be
constructed entirely of iron.
)
LOCKLEAR APPOINTED TO
NEW HORIZONS TASK FORCE
Gra4v LtcUtu
Gradv Lorklear. Principal of
Pinev Grove School ha* been
named by Governor Jim Hunt
lo aerve on the New Horiron*
luvk Force.
I he goal id the New Mon/on*
Program t* lo perpetuate en
environment that etpand*
homing i huire and upporiun*
it* The New Horizon* lack
Fonr IV rr?pon*ihlr lor a*
vewing the hooving partem*
id the Male and !?* drveioping
fair housing strategies whk.li
will promote equal housing
opportunities for all citizens.
Mr. Locklear also serves on
the North Carolina Human
Relations Council, .having
been appointed to that Com
mission bv (Governor Jim Hunt
in 1977.
Mr. Locklcar grew up in the
Mt. Airy ( immunity of Robe
ton County and attended
Union Chapel Elementary
School. He it a graduate of
Pembroke High School and
graduated from Pembroke
Stale College in I9b3 with a
B S. Degree in Elementary
Education In 1974 Mr. Lock
lear graduated from Eaat
Carolina University with a
M A Ed Degree in School
Administration. He hat been
employed in the Robeton
(ountv School Svttem since
l%J.
He It a i rtgnn of the Korean
( unfile t ?nd a member of the
Lueklearl.mfyVPWP.Ht of
Pembroke North Carolina.
Mr Liskiegr, hit wile Harrl
and mo.hiWren Or aim Derek
and Has Sahnna, reside m
the Ml A.rgf InmmunHs and
attend Ml. Airs Baptist
I hervh
CAN I GET A WITNESS?
-A Black Viewpoint
i
by mabshall wade
The narrow defeat of Robert
E. Davit of Maxton to be one
of our district's representa
tives to Raleigh is over. So now
I would like to see us move
forward to insure that this kind
of poor political maneuver is
ended forever.?There is noth
ing to be gained from bicker
ing. blaming others, or exe
cuting personal vendettas.
What is needed though is a
strong sense of unity in
purpose and a dedication to
that purpose which transcends
any personal interests. Black
leaders in Hoke. Scotland, and
especially Robeson Counties
can learn a valuable lesson
from other groups who have
had to Tight for basic rights
and freedoms. Just as greed
and the quest for power and
status are a divisive force
among us. so were the reli
gious differences faced by the
early Arab revolutionaries.
The rallying theme for their
unity went something like this.
Originating with the intellec
tuals at the University of
Beirut in lebanon, Arabs were
admonished to put aside re
ligious differences, to forget
about being Arab Christians,
Arab Jews, or Arab Moslems
and remember that they were
Arabs first. Arabs before
Jesus Christ. Abraham, or
Mohammed. We Blacks have a
natural cohesiveness and
should translate that cohe
siveness into Black Conscious
ness. By doing so. we will be
better able to get and retain a
degree of political power. Just
having the right to vote isn't
going to guarantee anything
substantial unless that vote is
exercised wisely. While I'm
chiding you. 1 might as well
take a swipe at some of our
local Black organizations who
as soon as their declared
purposes, objectives, and is
sues are put down about
black and white, forget about
it all and start to develop into
some sort of beauty contest or
recognition ceremony. Paying
tribute to this one or that one. 1
certainly have nothing against
this kind of activity but when
an organization does this and
this alone, failing to address
real issues, then as far as I am
concerned, it's worthless.
How about summer jobs for
our our youth? How about the
quality of or lack of recre
ational facilities for our young?
Or how about adequate hous
ing for the poor? Or how about
the poor in general.
Yeah, folks, we'd better get
our heads together or we're
going to lose a lot more than
just the congressional seat
once held by Mr. Davis. Think
about it!
KAREN BLU:
FOE OR BENEFACTOR?
by Lew Bartoa
Karen I. Blu assistant ,
professor of anthropology at '
New York University, has
written a book about Lumbee
Indians (Cambridge University
Press, 1980, 276 pages.) But to
date, I have been unable to
determine whether she is a foe
or benefactor at the people she
describes as ''numerous" and
"feisty."
The adjective means a mon
gral people, hopelessly mixed
up with other races, and the
title of her book is. The
Lumbee Problem: The Maidiig
of An American Indian
People.
It could be that the Lumbee
Indians are beginning to won
der if they have a Karen I.
Blu problem, similar to their
Brewton Berry problem of a
few years ago.
But then, again, it may be
simply that the Northern white
woman who once lived for a
time among us in the guise or
reality of a friend, simply
subscribes to the know-all,
tell-all philosophy of one par
ticular brand of anthropolo
gists.
While admitting that we
claim and have had accorded
to us the status of American
aborigines (i.e.. Native Amer- ,
icans), yet her book begins
tjtusly:
"How do a group of people
who are legally designated
'free persons of color' and who
have Indian, ancestry but no
records of treaties, reserva
tions. an Indian language, or
peculiarly 'Indian' customs
become accepted socially and
legally as Indians? To discover
just how this remarkable tran
sition has been made by the
Lumbee Indians of Robeson
County, North Carolina, is the
task of this enterprise."
(Book.)
v To begin with, we are not
legally so designated, never
should have been in the first
place, and neither should the
Federal Government reservat
ed Cherokee Indians of West
ern North Carolina who have
been once so designated. In
the face of sucb i a legally -
disproved designation, Kkren
Blue has rushed in where.'
angels fear to tread.
Such expression leaves the
impression that our people are
liars, fakers, imposters. and
humbugs. We are not, we
never were, and neither has
she proved us to be. How can
an aboriginal people make of
themselves what they already
are?
I bitterly resent her impli
cation that we have perpe
trated a fraud, creating the
problem which she calls "The
Lumbee Problem" for the rest
of the nation. We simply
sought and gained recognition
of some very significant facts
about ourselves, the most
important of which is that we
are an aboriginal people.
Such a status is not ne
cessarily biological. It is, ra
ther, historical and geogra
phical.
Where do people get the idea
hat an American aboriginal
must fit the Hollywood Amer
ican Indian stereotype in ap
pearance? Hard-core history
contradicts such a naive
asumption.
If not even anthropologists
are aware of the historical fact
that Columbus himself re
ported encounters with such a
typical Native Americans, then
in the name of truth and
sanity, who is?
FIRST CAME THE
INVADERS, THE LAND
GRABBERS AND THE
HOME GUARD.
NEXT CAME THE KLAN,
THEN BERRY AND NOW
KAREN BLU
WILL SUCH PEOPLE NEVER
LET US BET
The latest book dfemeaning
the Lumbee Indians is one by
Karen Blu.a Northern White
woman who wormed her way
into our good graces as a
VISTA worker and in the guise
of friendship some ten years
ago. She is now Assistant
Professor of Anthropology at
New York University. If she
was really ever a friend of the
Lumbee Indians, she has sur
rendered such friendship to
what she may imagine to be
professionalism. Like most
know-it-all Northerners, she is
critical of the South's racial
policies, practices and atti
tudes. Southerners, however,
are usually honest and open in
their views of minorities. They
do not knife you in the back
while embracing you as a
friend.
The Lumber Problem: The
Making of An American Indian
People -- that is the title of her
276-page book, copies of which
may be purchased at the
Pembroke State University
Book Store. "How do a group
of people who are legally
designated 'free persons of
color' and who have Indian
ancestry but no records of
treaties, reservations, an Indi
an language, or peculiarly
'Indian' customs become ac
cepted socially and legally as
Indians?
"To uncover how this re
markable transition has been
made by the Lumbee Indians
of Robeson County, North
Caroilina. is the task of this
enterprise." (Book.)
In such gentle fashion does
the lady who once lived with us
and professed humanitarian
love brand us all. level sus
picion at us all and imply that
we all may be liars and frauds.
For the word transition means
the process of changing one
thing into another, in this case
switching race from Black to
Indian. Or such seems to be
implied.
ft-r*#*? ? - ?"' ft
1 assure you. if I were Black. I
would be proud of my race,
stand up for it and defend it. In
fact. I am proud of my Black
brothers, love and appreciate
them, anyway. But we are not
Black people masquerading as
Indians. Karen Blu. an ill
informed outsider despite her
lofty educational perch, has
foolishly rushed into an area of
bitter, centuries-old contro
versy where even the angels
fear to tread, or at least tread
lightly.
First, there were the invaders
(French and Scotch settlers)
and the tand-grabbers> Then
came the Civil War and the
Home Guard and a brazen
attempt to enslave our people
by conscripting them into
slave camps. Our people re
sisted that overt attempt, and
Henry Berry Lowry stepped
out to champion Indian justice.
it's a fact!
Intercil y buses serve some
15,000 American commune
ties. All but about a thou
sand of them have no other
form of public transporta
tion.
? ? ?
4> , ?
SCRAPBOOK FAVORITES |
? I
by Anne St. John
by Aim St. Jaba
FRIENDSHIP
Said Mrs. Browning, (he
poet, to Charles Kingslev. the
novelist. "What is the secret
of your life? Tell me. that I
may make mine beautiful
also." Thinking a moment, the
beloved old author replied. "I
had a friend."
Friendship is the inexpressi
ble comfort of feeling safe with
a person, having neither to
weigh thoughts nor measure
words.-George Eliot
A FRIEND IS A PERSON?
Who will help you in the hour
of sickness.
Who will lend you a dollar
without deducting the interest.
Who will help you up hill
when you are sliding down.
Who will defend you in the
hour when others speak evil of
you.
Who will believe in your
innocence until you admit
your guilt.
Who will say behind your
back what he says to your face.
Who will shake hands with
you whenever he meets you
even though you wear patches.
AND
Will do these things without
expecting any return.
AFTER ALL. IT IS A FREE
COUNTRY. BUT YOU CAN'T
LIVE IN IT FOR NOTHING:.
--Selected
A FRIEND
When the roses lose their
fragrance
And the world seems at an
end.
When the day has lost its;
gladness
What a blessing is a friend!
One who takes you as he finds
you
Caring not who is to blame:
One who knows all your short
comings
But who loves you just the
same.
Heaven sends a gift each
morning
Of a bright new day to spend.
What a joy it is to share it
With God's greatest gift...
a friend!
-Nick Kenny
I count myself rich indeed,
when I chance to meet an old
acquaintance whose generous
smile sayS. "My friend."
HAVE YOU MADE A
FRIEND TODAY?
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