MARY UVERH0RE LIBRARY
* * PEMBROKE.STAJE. LIBRARY
PEMBROKE, NC 28372
? - I 7 |
K , -,l Published each Thursday since January 18,1973 I
I f f| ua (OiMBCDILIMA HXTJuHiAXY "yCDIICDIS I
I ?
B p \ I; , ^ V-''. iJf ,:*.. c
1 I h l rmbroke, NC Robeson County I
o ?r "Building communicative bridges in a tri-racial setting" I
ISSUES CONCERNING N.C. INDIANS &
GOV. JAMES MARTIN'S ADMINISTRATION
Over the put year and a half, the relationship between
Governor James Martin's Administration and Indian
people, particularly the Commission of Indian Affairs hss
been steadily deteriorating.
The North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs was
established in 1971 for the purpose "to deal fairly and
effectively with Indian affairs...to provide aid and
protection for Indians u needs are demonstrated...and to
promote recognition of and the right of Indians to pursue
cultural and religious tradition considered by them to be
sacred and meaningful to Native Americans." Such
authority must be the guiding principle of the
Commission's weak.
Although Governor Martin hu publicly proclaimed his
support his actions, as well as, actions by members of his
administration, do not bear out his statement
On July 26,1990, Governor Martin aent Lonnie Revels,
Jr., Chairman of the Commission, a letter relieving him of
his position aa Chairman. In that same letter, he stated he
was appointing Patrick Clarke at Motzolina Native
American Association as the Commission's Chair.
According to the Commission's legislation, the
Governor cannot appoint a chairperson, without Indian
Commission Board members' ratification of the appoint
ment In making the move outlined above, Governor
Martin violated oneo f the most basic rights of American
Democracy--the right of people, and in this case elected
representatives from Indian tribes, organisations and
communities acmes the state, to elect their leader tbe
Commission's Chairperson.
. This action is one of many illustrations, where the
Governor and his Administration have not supported
critical issues facing Indian people in North Carolina.
Lat's look at a few others:
- 1) Federal swenition is on* at th. most critics] issue.
facing eastern North Carolina Indian tribes. Such
recognition is first and foremost a human rights and
human dignity jpsue--tbe right of Indians to be who they
are, identified w>d acknowledged as such by all
departments of the Federal Government Secondly it is a
dollars issue, the right of North Carolina Indiana to
receive, on a fair share basis, Indian resources sat aside
for health, education, and economic development of
Indian people and their tribee and communities. Although
the Commission of Indian Affairs Board of Directors
passed a resolution of support for Lumber and Ratiwa
Saponi federal recognition, the Governor's office has not
responded to these group# with letters of support public
testimony, or given permission for the Commission's
chairman to testify on this critical issue, since 1988. Thus,
the Governor is skirting the issue of human rights for
60,000 of North CaorUna's Indian dtisens and hiding
behind Cherokee opposition to this issue. There are 6.000
Cherokee# in this state and number of these Indians,
aneept their political leaden, ate not opposed to federal
recognition of North Carolina'? Lumber and Haliwa
Saponie Indian people. Why is the Governor refusing to
fight for the overwhelming numbers of Indians In the
state? Is ft racism? k it the fart that he doesn't believe
they are Indiana. Was Lonnie Revels too aggressive in
poshing the Governor for support of the Lumbees and
ffeliwas on this issue?
2) Tribal self-determinstion-since the early days of the
Commission at Indian Affairs, the staff has operated a
nubmer of statewide programs for all the tribes and
Indian organisations in the state, except for the Lumbee
tribe and the Lumbee Regional Development Association.
These programs included Talent Search, Indian Housing,
Joint Partnership Training Act, and Economic Develop
ment. As tribal organisations grew stronger a number of
tribes moved to Take over their own IBM of these
programs. Recently, the Haliwa -Saponi moved to tabs
over and operate their own Joint Partnership Training
Program. Commission staff pushed strongly to keep this
program in Raleigh-saying the Haliwa- Sapoini Tribal
organisation did not have the professional skills to operate
this program and that the funds would be lost to the
state. Lonnie Revels went to bat for the tribal organization
and encouraged the Commission Board to support the
tribe's right to operate its own program. Yet, the
Governor was told that Lonnie Revels was disloyal to the
Governor's Administration and was undercutting the
Commission. Why does the Commission staff feel it
should run programs for North Carolina Indian Tribal
organisations? Doesn't the state give the Commission
enough operating money for its staff? Doesn't the staff
believe Indian organizations have the ability to learn to
operate federal and state programs? Why are they trying
to keep control of all the Indian money coming to the
state, except for funds coming into Lumbee Regional
Development Association?
8) Political appointments for Minority Professionals. In
the spring of 1888, the people throughout North Carolina
were shocked and saddened by die news df Julian
Pierce's muder. Julian was a candidate for Judge of the
Superior Court, a newly established judicial position
designed to move minorities into that judgeship. There
were six such positions created in North Carotins, one
position was assigned to Robeson County. The untimely
death of Julian Pierce narrowed the candidates down to
one white male running for the Judgeship.
Indians in Robeson County were inflamed by Julian
Pierce's murder and many believe it is a case which has
invisible M??h? that wfll never be exposed.
The people-Indian, Black and white, raUyed around
Dexter Brooks to be the candidate to take the slot to whkh
Julian Pierce wae entitled. The only way to get that
minority slot was for another judgeship position to be
created. Governor Martin met with Indian leaders from
the Pierce campaign and agreed to seek the creation of
such a slot from the state legislature.
The slot was obtained and Dexter Brooks was
nominated for the judgeship. Then die old divide and
conquer game started. First the efforts were to discredit
Dexter Brooks' personal life. Then another Indian name
wae thrown into the pot Neither game was successful.
- Much credit for Dexter Brooks' appointment as
Superior Court Judge must be given to Lonnie Revels.
1
Time after time, when the Martin Administration said
there was no way Dexter Brooks would be appointed,
Innnie Revels kept mobilizing forces and calling the
Governor to assure Mr. Brooks' appointment Working
with local Indians, Lonnie Revels helped keep that old i
divide and conquet game of Indian against Indian from
being successful. Why wasn't Governor Martin willing to
appoint Brooks on his credentials? Why must a minority
candidate always be judged by a higher standard of
conduct than other candidates? Did Lonnie Revels'
aggressive support of Dexter Brooks' appointment cost
him political chips with the Martin Administration?
Were the Robeson County Republicans so incensed over
the Dexter Brooks appointment that they let the Governor
know that it was just another instance of Lonnie Revels'
interferring in Robeson County politics?
4) The North Carolina Indian Cultural Center has the
potential for being the most effective economic
development boom for all of North Carolina's Indians, but
especially for those living in Robeson County. The project
has been in the talking stage, since 1977. A Development
Director was hired in late 1967 to organise a Masterplan
and launch thp necessary development to make the
Center a reality. The Bret day of the Development
Director's job. the Martin Administration said, tabs over
the site,, secure it, and then let us give you a lease. A
Masterplan, programs and design for Rules 1 have been
completed and the property has been secured. All signs
looked like "go" on this project until March, 1990, when
both the Indian Cultural Center and Commission of Indian
Affairs board of directors asked that Riverside Golf
Course be doeed to make way far tke development ef
Phu* 1. Nq w?? wtep. ?p4 wl ?rUn
Administration began saying I support the IndiA Cultural
Center but I will not close the golf course*until the
Cultural Center does an impact study of the entire 600
acre site and has $4.2 million dollars in the Dank. No
construction can start until then and the lease cannot be
final before those things have happened.
With the employment potential (100 jobs during Phase I
and 600 jobs at full development), of the Indian Cultural
Center, why does the Governor support Mi aping s golf
course, which financially benefits six people, instead of
supporting the development of As Cultural Center?
the golf course open foesror'word has it that he has good
friends in Lumbertos sad Lsurinburg, waiting for the
Cultural Center to fail so they pick up the 400 seres af
state property tors song and pets retirement community,
with s lake and a golf comes. & would only a million
dollars to mianeve tke golf comas. Why is the Governor
working with that local Democratic representative to sell
Indians out?
Why has the Governor stated publicly he is for the
Cultural Center, yet he and his administration have drawn
a moat restrictive long term lease designed to cripple the
Cultural Center's development?
Has Lonnnie Revels' advocacy for the Cuhural Center,
particularly in the recent legislature, again drawn the
Governor's anger because he can't control the Revels?
Lonnie Revels was advocating a long term flexible lease
for the Cultural Center, while the Governor was
advocating an impact study of the entire site which could
tie the Cultural Center's development inknots for 8 or 4
years. Then must be a reason why the Governor is
against the Cultural Center, b it racism? b it working for
his local Robeson County Republican donors who don't
want ot see bdian economic development? b it for die old
time power structure in Robeson County (Democrats and
Republicans who intend to keep those Indians in place?)
By knocking Lonnie Revels out as the spokesman for
Indians, there are no other bdian leaders who care
enough for all bdian people to take on the system on
issures of fairness and justice whether the issues are
popular or not Why is it so important to the Martin
Administration to divide, conquer, and tub fodians b this
state?
5) Commission of bdian Affairs staff are to work on
behalf of bdian people. Until the last year and a half.
Commission members worked as a group to tackle issues
and solve their own problems. If there was disagreement
particularly among bdian members, it was worked out by
them. The Martin Administration has let it be known they
?
intend to control those bdians. They are dong that by
controlling the executive director and by playing bdian
M members off against each ether. Ihsa eld divide
onuunr
I Commission staff don't share information of on going
??in with board members. It makes it difficult for them
Ho make good decisions. By keeping board members in the
dark, the Martin Administration can keep control of Board
actions and make sure things stay the same.
i??u Revels pushed the staff for major achievements
of the Commission these past several decades. He pushed
for the legislation on bdian scholarships; economic
development; the Cultural Center, the criminal yistice
system; bdian housing, etc. By taking Lonnie Revels out
of tee Chairman's position, the Governor thinks he can
aBnnce and control them. Does Martin want to make sure
In/Maa. keep things they way they are? Does he want
people to move backwards? Or is. he using control
<to hide his bigotry and racism against bdians?
k is up to bdian people now to call the leaden to teak
and main them accountable and responsible for the
bdians' future, bdians in this state must move forward
to the 21st Century, bdians should not go backwards into
tee old divide sou conquer politics, bdians should make
their leaden, from the bdian Commission Chairperson to
local bdian organizations, represent and fight for bdian
needs and bdian rights.
HAMMONDS
MAKES DEANS
LIST A T
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Carter Appointed To SBA Advisory Council
THmz VmU Garter
Tho U.8 Small Buatooaa Admintotratioo Charlotte
District Director, Gary A. Deal, recently appointed True*
Vafl Carter to the Charlotte Diatriet Office Advisory
Tho function of the Council to to eonaldar and
comment on current Small Business Administration
prof ram*, evaluate proposed programs, and also
recommend new programs to be developed by the SB A.
Council members also act as advocates for email busineae
throughout the state.
Carter is currently employed as president of Southern
Stiendfie Services, k. in Charlotte, a dealer la general
lahoratoey supplies.
Carter is a graduate of Pern broke Sealer High
and a graduate of UNC- Charlotte wfth a degree in
Dueiaeee Administration He is an active member of the
CaroKaaa Minority Supplier Development Council, and
has bald various offices with that organisation, hi IPSO he
graduated from the Charlotte Chamber of Commerce
leadership School and is a supporter of its ShaaD Ihmtosaa
Services Division. Carter is a volunteer with the MetroMaa
Native American Association where he woe employed ler
seven years as Executive Director. Whit employed there
he received the Community Service Award, and kaa twice
been awarded the Distinguished Service Award. During
the peat tan years be has volunteered with the Oariotte
Meddanbuig Schools Title V Indian Education Project,
and wee awarded the Indian Community Development
Certificate.
Carter hea served on the City of Chariotts Employment
and^TVnining Board, the United Tribes of North CaroKne
Board, ae a commissioner on the North Carolna Indian
Housing Authority, the North Carolina Indian Cultural
Center Board, and aa Chairman of the Deeeon Body at
Candlewyck Baptist Church.
Carter ie married to the former Wanda Maynor of
Reaabrulm, and they have one daughter. Candies Leigh.
Reflections By Alta Nye Oxendine
* LETS KEEP PRAY1N0
Lot'a prey for all the people we know who are going
through difficult times. And let'* pray at this time for the
laadare of our oountry, of Ireq, Kuwaiti, all the other
Arab nation*. Israel. the Soviet Union (which waa
apparently atil anna to Iraq at the time that
V
larger country Invaded Kuwaiti) and all the other area* of J
our world. I
Lofa also pray for all the other people erouad thie
world, including ourselves.
I aak pour prayers. that God will forgive me for my
failure* and give me Hie guidance for each new day.
Ik* Lotoryt Imtfimg to Hurt. Mmm Ufl *? rigkt- Mmnm
Lo%cry, Ronald Irar* BmBmm Unary, MwrriM Le*cry,
(Mm Unary, Tblbart Unary tmd C.B. Lmery, ifii
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