Ml
1 rn pfi fY I I
rn rr *?? K
3 3 Established January 18. 1973. Published Each Thursday
*T >T- -
gp! ;
IE to (3a?^]0QQ?i Ooodfem
C H ???
g 1? b
y I I , N.C. "Building Communicative Bridges In A Tri-Racial Setting" Robeson County
VOLUlpi | I ER 41 THURSDAY, OCTOBER 11, 1990 25< per copy
EV. ELIAS ROGERS IS STILL CHOICE FOR LREMC BOARD
: -?I L_ ? ' '?
Rev. EJias Roger*
A New* tmalytia: Thit article contain* opinion* of the
writer.
by Bruce Barton . ,v ?
I don't get as fired up as I used to about a lot of things...but
Rev. Elias Rogers is still my choice for a seat on the LREMC
Board of Directors. He's up for. election again next Tuesday
.October 16, the electric cooperative's annual meeting
which will be held at PSLTs Performing Arts Center. And, as
usual. Rev. Rogers has stiff competition. No doubt about
it..people still get riled up about him. He's one of those
people that we find it awfully tough to be neutral about And,
uv? ?umtmiv el?e T have an ooinion about him.
I hold Rev. Qias Rogers in high regard. As a matter of fact I
consider him a hero of mine, as well as probably one of my
best friends ever. He's dependable, and his word is his bond.
Too, many of us would like to forget the past Hie only
problem is that we will repeat history if we do not tell the story
truthfully. For those of you who might have forgotten, let me
tell the story of Rev. Ellas Rogers and the time he kicked the
door down at Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation
so that the rest of us might walk in without reprisals.
SOME BACKGROUND PRIOR TO THE ELECTION
Lumbee River electric Membership Corporation was
chartered in June, 1940, but minorities really became
interested in the rural electric co-op at the advent of Eli as
Rogers who was the tint minority ever elected to the board of
directors of the approximately 16,000 membership co-op in
1967.
Rogers, an Indian from the Red Springs area, was elected at
the annual meeting in 1967. Rogers noted in a recent
interview, "One day in 1967, out of the blue I received an
anonymous letter...I have never found out who sent the
letter...telling me exactly what to do in order to be elected to
the board of directors of Lumbee River EMC. I followed the
instructions of the letter exactly...and I was elected."
Rogers' election was the beginning of one of the crudest
episodes in the history of racial relations in Robeson and
adjoining counties. Said Rogers. '"Die president of the board
of directors (then Cecil Dunn of Lumber Bridge) went two and
one/half years without ever speaking to me." Rogers was
shunned. And he spent two and one-half years in isolation. He
was ignored by the other members of the board.
IN 1970 Rogers ran for re-election. After seemingly having
won the election, it was announced after the balloting that he
had lost Rogers challenged the board of directors. The
department of agriculture, which is the sponsoring agency of
all electric membership co-ops, investigated and found that
illegal proxies had been prepared and voted in the election.
But the investigation by the department of agriculture did
not clear the way for Rogers to take his seat until April of 1972.
Rogers, through his attorney Phil Die hi of Raeford. filed a suit
against the Lumbee River EMC in August of 1972- under the
Civil Rights Act of 1964. contending that the defendants,
employees of the co-op, conspired to deny him a seat on the
board of directors because of his race. Rogers charged he was
defeated for election to the board by the irregular use of proxy
votes. He was running for re-election at the time (November.
1970).
Rogers contended in hi* rait that Cecil EXinn, then president
of the co-op, engineered an effort whereby hundreds of phony
proxy votes were printed to insure he would not be re-elected
to the board.
He further contended that employees of the co-op were
threatened with dismissal if they did not go along with the
scheme. The employees were given the phony ballots and told
to obtain signatures from individual subscribers of the co-op.,
Rogers contended in his damage suit.
The suit further charged that, on election day. persons who
were not members of the co-op were recruited by Dunn, given
membership and five proxy votes to cast Rogers was defeated
in the election by one of the defendants named in the suit
W.B. McDiannid.
Rogers also alleged that the defendants conspired to defeat
a black candidate for the board, Thomas W. Bethea.
Defendants in the suit were the corporation itself, Dunn,
McDisraiid. Neil A. Watson, D.J. Dalton, then general
manager of the co-op, Robert W. Currie. Irwin Currie. Gail
Boyles, and Genevive Edens.
Hie Agriculture Department, after investigation of the case,
ordered that the by-laws of the corporation oe amended to
increase the size of the board from nine to 12 members.
Rogers' term expired in 1974, after which the seats were filled
by elections established on staggered terms.
In 1974, Rogers was elected to a one year term.
In figuring the actual damages, Rogers estimated he had
spent 356 man hours investigating his case and gathering
evidence.
After a long and acriminous struggle, Rogers won a sizable
monetary settelement from Lumbee River Electric
Membership Corporatibn. More importantly, be wrong an
admission from LREMC that there had been gross inequities
in hiring minorities by the co-op. ,
Part of the settlement out of court was that the LREMC
would adopt and implement an affirmative action plan in
accordance with Executive Order #11246, and the rules and
regulations of the Rural Electrification Administration and the
office of Federal Contract Compliance.
As noted earlier, the corporation also agreed to amend its
by-laws by adding three at large directors.
The corporation also was directed by the settlement to
amend its by-laws so that any member of the corporation could
inspect proxy lists at least two days before an annual
meeting. (This has since been amended further to do away
with proxy votes entirely.)
WHO IS ON THE BOARD NOW
Prior to the federal suit that seated Elias Rogers on the
board, the board was composed of all white members. The
general manager was white, as well as the employees, with
the exception of one Indian who was working on the grounds.
The present board of directors is composed of 12 members
meeting.. There is now 10 Indians serving and 2 blade. The
'general manager is now Indian and the employees are
composed of whites, blacks and Indians.
f i
THINGS CHANGE AND STAY THE SAME
Although Rev. Elias Rogers fought a long hard and many
times lonely battle to obtain representation for minorities. It
seems that it is always Indians who seek to defeat him.
Almost every opponent he has had has been an Indian. It
seems that although he made it possible for Indians to serve,
the whites still use the old "divide and conquer" philosophy.
The Rev. Rogers carries the scars of many years of fighting
and being attacked by his own. Let's cease and desist and
declare today that we will elect Rev. Elias Rogers to th
LREMC Board of Directors. Not only because he opened the
doors for us all, but because he is the most knowledgeable one
- Let's keep experience working for us. Join me at the
PSD Performing Arts Center on Oct 16 and show our
appreciation to Rev. Rogers and thank him by voting tc
elect him to represent us all.
New Accounting Firm Now in Pembroke
Hie accounting firm of Israel W. Rwejuna, Certified
Public Accountant, has recently opened an office in
Pembroke. NC. The firm is headquartered in Fhyetteville.
NC and has established the new Pembroke location in
response to a growing demand for accounting and tax
services in the Pembroke and Lumberton area.
The accounting firm was founded by Israel W.
Rwejuna, a CPA from Fayetteville. He holds a bachelor's
degree in accounting from Baldwin-Wallace College in
Ohio and an MBA Degree from Eastern Illinois University
in Illinois. In addition to managing the accounting firm,
Mr. Rwejuna has been an instructor of Accounting at
FhyetteviUe State University since 1976. He also holds
membership in the following professional organisations:
American Institute of CPAs, North Carolina Association
of CPAs, National Association of Black Accountants,
American Accounting Association, and the Fayette ville
Chamber of Commerce.
The firm recently welcomed Joseph H. FUes, a
Certified Public Accountant, to the staff. Mr. Files is a
Magna Cum Laude graduate of Fayette ville State
University where he earned a bachelor's Degree and also
he earned an MBA Degree from Atlanta University. He
has worked with Deioitte Ibuche, a major accounting
fuin in New York where he performed audits of
companies engaged in manufacturing, leasing, franchis
ing and non-profit organizations. He has also worked with
Hercules Incorporated as an internal auditor where he
was responsible for reviewing accounting, financial and
operating cootrois for domenstic as well as international
locations. Mr. Files is a member of the American Institute
of CPAs, New York Society of CPAs, and the National
Association of Black Accountants.
Mr. Rwejuna and Mr. Files believe that the Arm is well
suited to meet the unique needs of the small minority
business community. They are committed to the
development of minority businesses and feel that their
skills and sense of commitment enables them to provide
their clients with the service needed to successfully
operate a business.
The new office is located in the AARK building at 107
second street in Pembroke. Phooe (919) 521 9082.
Pembroke Kiwanis
Report
Program Chairman Grady Hunt presented Mis* Nahir
Loddear, Mis* Lumbee for 1990. Nahir is a freshman at
P8U, a graduate of Pumell Swett High School and a
business major a PSU. Hor parents are Dense! and Joan
Loddear. She is the oldest of four children and has
enjoyed traveling, participating in the Indian Unity
pageant in Baltimore, leasee Saturday for San Diago, CA
and will be entered in a pageant in New Mexico and will b
be in the Miss Indian USA pageant in Washington. D.C.
in November. Miss Loddear is a pianist as her talent
Buddy Boil announced the dean up will be ra scheduled
for a later date.
President Mitchell Loweiy announced Charter Night is
next week with the ladies present
Mrs. Agnes Chavis' classroom needs curtains sot he
Club voted the t74 to cover the expense.
Five members of the West Lamberton Club were
visitors: Dobbe Oxen dine. Lanes Harding. Ronald
Hammonds, LJ. Jones and Harold Hunt
Presiding Mitchell Lowry: program-Grady Hunt: Song
Leader Ed TWs; Invocation Pete Jacobs; Reporter Ken
Johnson.
Ransom gets position
Administration Secretary Junes & Lofton announced
recently the appointment of Vidd Ransom of Raleigh as
the coordinator of the N.C. Internship Program. Hie
program is part of the Youth Advocacy and Involvement
Office in the N.C. Department of Administration.
Ransom. 88. assumed her new duties Aug. 18.
"Ms. Ransom will be an asset to our Department in
working with young people who are exploring career
opportunities and ways to serve the people of this state."
Secretary Lofton said in making the annpouncement
Originally from Pembroke. Ransom, a In m bee Indians,
is a graduate of P8U. She has coordinated the Students
Against Driving Drank Program, also in the Youth
Advocacy and Involvement Office. She waa formerly a
program consultant in the Office of Volunteer Services in
the N.C. Department of Human Resources.
The Youth Advocacy and Involvement Office speaks for
children and youth and offers a varsity of opportunities
for young people to become involved with government
The internship program offers opportunities for college
students to work and lean during summer Jobs with state
government ?*
Oxendine Tire Center
Alignment and Brake Specialists
CONGRATULATES
THE PLAYERS OF THE WEEK
The Purnell Swett High Rams
For the great effort against Richmond
County High Congratulations also to the
coaches and staff for their support
SAY YOU READ IT IN
"THE CAROLINA INDIAN VOICE