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II | . ? Promoting Communications Between Indians and Nations rSi2?Cour*y
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||. Thursday, OetOer 27,1994 25C ^
Hi ^??e Number 43 ____ .
(Native American Architect, J. Michael Clark
Treads Softly on Mother Earth
by Barbara Braveboy-Lockiear
He treads lightly on Mother Earth.
His spirituality commands it.
He goes underground from time to
time. His job requires it He always
resurfaces, but his architecturally
designed structures usually abide
beneath earth beams.
He's J. Michael Clark, Lumbee
Indian, a registered architect who
recently relocated to his native
Robeson County. For the 46-year-old
father, the return is the realization of
a longtime dream of opening his own
professional office in the town of
Pembroke where he was raised and
received his early education.
Clark says the relocation also
affords him the honor of being near
hiselderlyfather, RaymondL "Pete"
Clark, with whom he resides. His
mother, Estelle Revels Clark, died in
1986
- Accolades have followed Clark
throughout his 23-year architectural
career. After earning a Bachelor of
Architecture Degree in 1971 from
North Carolina State University, he
mapped a route to the Southwest. It
was a professional decision fostered
tn part by a college professor who
encouraged participation in
''advocacy architecture" which
involves services to economically
depressed people who normally would
not use the services of an architect.
Clark says immediately after
I graduation from the five-year
professional program at NCSU, he
\ packedhisbooks,clothes, anddrafting
i table-all his belongings- and loaded
j them inside a Chevy van and began
I his journey.
Phoenix, Arizona awaited the
I arrival of the lone small-town Indian
I man.
I Five days enroute, Clark says he
? slopped overnight to visit Lumbee
I friends in Albuquerque, New Mexico.
I He got more than warm greetings
?from the host.
I "My friend called me aside wd
?mid. 'Mike, buddy, you're going to
wow first job. Don't you think you
?need to clean up and get a haircut?"
? Drawing on parental teachings,
Klark says that he respected the
fcemonty and wisdom ofhis friend ami
f went to the nearest barber shop the
fciark says two days later he
??eased his friend's advice after
?art? *?? >was. a Hopt Indian,
"I nevw again took any advice oo
?myhng from my good friend. Dr.
?bby Daw Brayboy," he chuckles
? The young architect spew At
Mowing two years with the Phoernx
?hrtectural firm before returning to
? Earn Coaet to he nearer frmdy He
took a position with the Atlanta
Division, Naval Facilities Engineering
Command in Norfolk, Virginia. There,
when not actually performing
architectural work, he had the
responsibility of managing and
administering the work of other
architects performed for the U.S.
Government.
His exemplary work with NFEC
was noticed by the U.S. Navy which
operated the 800-person agency. In
1982, the year he left the agency,
Clark received the'' Employee of the
Year" Award. A chapel design also
won him an "Award of Merit" for
interior design from the American
Society of Interior Designers.
He'd given nine years to the
Command before being lured away
by the U.S. Coast Guard where he
spent two years on projects which
took him to worksites along the East
Coast.
When invited to join another firm,
Clark accepted so as to begin the
process of leaving the federal
government. From 1985-93 he worked
with a private architectural firm in
Virginia Beach, Virginia. There he
served as the Director of the
Architectural/Engineering
Directorate; often managing multi
million dollar projects as well as
construction inspectors on both
domestic and international projects.
Then last year Clark served notice
on the firm that he would leave to
establish his own architectural firm,
Native American Design Services
The move was timely. Over the past
23 years his professional work had
taken him to countries throughout the
world. Both his children, the joy in
my life," were in college. His
daughter, Michele Dawn Mana. 20, is
a junior at North Carolina s?afe
University. Hisson.MikenChe'Veyo.
wUUS&S?" " v**""
He admits to having had a longing
to return to Robeson County.
"1 threw myself to the wind and
came home. I felt I had a captive
f.wtu?w here in Robeson County in
that I thought the people would give
me an opportunity to prove, or
disprove, my ability to serve them,"
he explains of the decision "And I
wanted to come back to Pembroke to
be near my family, especially my
father who is 73 years old
"I've Visited the United Stales and
that
life is usually built aroandftmuly and
church," be reflects
Ctakaeyembuilding his buamsm
locally, he'll be able to offer an
youth who are going into architecture
as a profession. His dreams include
innovative ideas which he believes
will lead to development of cultural
architectural styles.
The architect is cognizant of the
Native American influence in
architecture. He says he was the first
in-house person for the U.S. Navy to
design a building utilizing passive
solar energy in the shipyard at
Portsmouth, Vtrgina.
"Knowing our cultural past as
American Indian people, this can
happen," he comments
J. Michael Clark treads lightly upoo
Mother Earth. He is no longer
underground.
He's come home
Indian Heritage
Festival to be held ?
at Town Creek
Indian Mound
Heritage Festi val wittbe held Saftaday
and Sunday, November S and 6,1994 i
from 1 until 5 p.m. i
Town Creek Indian Mound is <
located on' State Historic Site, 51/2 <
miles east of Mt. Gilead between NC |
731 and NC 73.
There will be a drawing for S1,000 i
in cash each day for registered dancers I
There will be intertribal dancing both I
days; survival skills demonstrations; i
and story telling for all ages Indian 1
arts and crafts will be on display and 1
there will be plenty of food.
This will be a family event. The
public is invited to attend. No alcohol/
drugs allow. There is no admission
fee. The site will be open from 9 until i
S each day. The event is being ]
sponsored by Town Creek Indian <
Mound, Inc. and Richmond i
Community College Native American <
Club 1
I
d EcqblCage. Edtairiat etCarolina IMaa
The Robesonian Seems to Have Lost Its
Editorial Moorings in Trl- Racial Robeson
Editor's mote: This is the fifth in a series of editorials
appearing im Ms newspaper entitled "The State of
Things im Ol'Robeson.u his oar editorial expression
and we believe it expresses the way atony people feel in
or Stobfstiw imMtng nwfij* ifidiifff t. Mocks ami Whites.
These editorials are also sprinkled with gobs of
unvarnished troth, whether some right-wingers la oar
midst like it or not
A hot topic in Indian circlet is the Meming slant of the
Robesonian in the hotly-contests sheriffs race between
James Sanderson, the White Republican and Glenn
Maynor. the Indian Democrat. It probabl y surprises few in
Robeson County when we make the editorial assertion
that the Robesonian supports Sanderson. Few people,
especially if they are in their right minds, would disagree
with us. It is fairly obvious. You can see it, and infer it,
from the way the Robesonian hunches the news, and they
way their editorials seem to echo Sanderson'
advertisements. The Robesonian seems to be guilty of
slanting the news, editorials, and placement of
advertisements, to fevor Sanderson. It doesn't take a
pocket scientist to figure out vias on the Robesonian' s part.
Let's look at Wednesday. October 26, 1994 in the
pages ofdie^tobesonian. * the masthead, where
news. Now, let's go to the frond page where Brant Clifton,
a very conservative fellow, is carrying on about "GOP.
elections board clash over precinctjudges." It seems kind
of serious until you look into it, and find out that it's much
ado about nothing. The board of elections reflects the
party in the governor's chair. When the governor is
Democrat, as Governor Hunt is, the chairman and another
member of the three-member board, are Democratic; the
third member is Republican. It has always been that way.
Bo Biggs, and other Republican cohorts, always dominated
the elections board when Governor Jim Martin, a
Republican, was in power. That meeting warranting the
front page was just another excuse, as we see it, to put
lames Sanderson's candidacy in the best possible light.
That's the way we see it.
It seems to us that the Robesonian has lost its editorial
moorings in tri-racial Robeson County, with its 40%
ndian, *5% Black, 35% white population blend. Go to the
sditonal page where Norm Morton, along tune Republican,
inless he has recently changed his party affiliation,
;xhorts us in' 'The Upcoming Election; Keep it Clean!"
ifr. Morton's "just jawin," but isn't that like the kettle
-idling itself black? The Robesonian, in our opinion, and
we believe a survey of moral issues would tack us up, has
become shrill with its seeming right-wing editorials
mutterwgs of doom in OI' Robeson, pebelieve lbs
Robesoamn ought to be balanced in its coverage ofths two
candidates Car sheriff, and have the editorial Sack bone to
come right our and say, "James Sanderson for Sheriff!"
If that's their choice in the matter That'shoemany of our
readers Mahout the bias of the Robeaonian.
What can be done about it?Call Bill Lewis, the general
manager and editor; and Ed Wilcox, the managing editor;
sod tdl them you think they are out of line, and narrow
minded in the slant they put on things We believe they
an. and hypocritical about it too.
But the best message you can send is to cancel your
subsaiption, and stop putting your quarters in tlieir news
stands. They can't survive without you. Our guess is that
over half the Robaaanian's subscribers an Indian It
seems the Indian would get some editorial support every
once in a while, but don't count on it. Mr. Purnell Swett.
the Indian Superintendent of Schools, has taken an editorial
shellacking irom the Robetantan. Wsse they as rough on
William Johnson, his forerunner? Get reel! Go review the
past issues during bothmen's terms in office, and make up
your own mind
^2?H3E!so3a^^nrlm2^2fcytjEfi^^^g!!J ^o^m^ebout
How many Indians end Blacks write fcrfoe Robeaonian?
Until recently, the answer was "0". Bat we know Scott
Witten, a Black, is there now. And every once in e while,
we see an Indian by-line. But why don't you ask them?
They purport to be the county newspaper Ask them how
many unbans or Blacks an in m adBnrial or supervisory
position, and how many daikly-hued people write Ibr
them? The answer might surprise you, or even make you
mad.
But don't (km. Do something about it. Quit reading the
conservative, even right wing, as we see it, newspaper. If
1000 subscribers quit paying for the Robesooian, they'd
be^m to pav you some attention. Right now, the mote they
beet upon huh an* and Blades, the mote we teed it aadaey
for it. Ifyou don't like the way they 're bearing you in their
newspaper, quit paying for it and quit reading it. It is that
simple.
In the meantime, the best immediate meeaage you can
send the Robeaonian is to vole for Olenn Maynor, the
Indian and Democratic candidate Ibr sheriff on November .
8. As a reader recently oooflded 'if Glenn Maynor
becomes sheriff on November I, it will be in spits of foe
Robe soman, not because of it." We agree
Marker Placed at Grave of First Indian Physician by Family
by Barbara Braveboy-Locklear
Dr. Governor Worth Locklear died
on November 28,1921. He was finally
put to rest on Tuesday, October 4,
1994 when family members laid a
proper headstone at his grave.
On the chilly fall day surviving
relatives gathered at Preston Cemetery
near Long Swamp to pay final tribute
to the first Lumbee Indian physician.
His daughter. Eva Harris Brayboy.
was there along with the late
physician's granddaughter and his
cousins, Lostelle Deese Oxendine and
Louise Deese Oxendine. LosteUe's
husband, Henry, stood observing the
installation of the granite stone as it
was placed on a concrete foundation
he built weeks earlier. Descendants of
Preston Locklear, the ftmily patriarch,
spearheaded the efforts in getting the
marker.
Dr. Locklear was bon in Robeson
County in 1870 to Preston Locklear
and Emm aline Lowry Lockiear, He
waa one of 11 aoet born to the couple
The family alto included two
daughters.
Except for oral hiatory, little it
known of Dr. Locklear't early
childhood education becauae the
Constitution of 1868 provided for a
public school term of four mootfaa for
all children, regardless of race, it aaid
nothing about segregated ecboola. Not
until 1875 * hen Reconstruction ended
at the state level and foe Conststutioe
was revised, did North Carolina begin
in earnest to establish schools for its
citizens, la 1885 foe stale recognized
the LumbecaeCroetanandnnaNiahed
a separate school system
A brother of young Governor was
born with a physical handicap The
child'afofoer. Preston,employed Mrs
Piummer, an Irish woman, to tench
his handicapped son to read and write
Preston, a landowner, needed his sons
for form labor and could til-afford to
have them all attend "reading and
writing" classes together. Therefore,
he arranged for an individual son to
physically tree sport the handkMped
son to daily study aaaaions with foe
The father consequently enlisted a
different son to tote the brother several
miles to his study site la so doing,
oath of foe Locklearsonsammoofoe
tfody sealant; fous leaning to raad
and write
At a young man, Governor
li iftniilil ? ? **?? nnraiaii"
DcuicuQOa I vjhowb vwwry
physician who aaliatad young
Locklaar as a driver of his hone
drawn buggy wad fc making houec
calls an patterns in tun) Robeson
County Elderly fomily members my
foar locklaar Wcasne to dolled at
daU voting habiet font foe physician
wrote a latter of recommendation to
Baltimore Uaivarsity School of
Mcdicm (how john HopMwMliloil
Univanity) on bahalf of Locktatf't
application to the achooi'i modi cine
Pr?JEceording?o records li??edtn THE
EXTINCT MEDICAL SCHOOLSOF
BALTIMORE, MARYLAND (19#).
on March 29. 1*93. G.W. LockHnr
wis awarded a Medical Decree from
the Baltimore Uiuveratty School of
Medicine Tbue.IX LocUear became
the Ant Lumbee Indian to formally
itudy medicine and earn a medical
^^tolth Carolina etna reeorda *ow
that Q W Locklear waa granted a
medical licenae (#2599) on Jami 13.
1914. That year he openedhia medical
office and apothecary lath# rural
mmnumity ? heaped, a few milea
from hia birthplace.
Dr. Governor married Adeline
Lowry and the couple had one aoe.
Adaell. who aened in World War 1
The eon i nnli ai tail pneumonia and
died in New York and waa buried In
Arlington National Caeaetety
Later, becauaeofaNorth Carolina
MM law pmhtbmny ractally-mixed
mamagea, L>r Locklear, a widower,
waa forced to leave Robeeen County
after he marricda white woman After
hie departure he practiced medicine
in Atlanta. Geory ia and in W i Idw ood
Florida before M-tummy to htf native
Robeson ( ounty in l9tAwbeiehere
eetabliahed a practice in the town of
Pembroke. Huwifc.iaOMtto legally
live with hun. remained in Georgia.
HhJaedicai praction ended with his
death ia l921Thougkanmqiieet waa
doomed un neceaaary.il was thought
that hie death readied from die uee of
v hloroform He waa eurvived by Ida
wife Mercer Locklltf of AUsnti
Ga.;adaughter. F va Hama,one unlet
end nine 5m than
a-utUmr nm 2