TH( | lAROUNA INDIAN VOICE
pi IT ! f each Thursday by First American Publications, Pembro
"t1 rc ? ^NTy7ivE ENTS
^VUJME22tWMBER^ c
I A Front Page Editorial X? | i!
Arise Indians! Rose Marie Lowry-Townsend can go to It
Congress if we turn out the "Indian" vote!!! on May 11
We've already heard some of the mutterings from our so called
"Indian'' political, power brokers: "She didn't tell us she was running
until the last minute, and we're already committed to someone else.''
Well, we say, get uncommitted! The other angle we're hearing is
"Well, she can't win!" We're here to tell you that she can win! Arise
Indians! Rose Marie Lowry-Townsend can become our representative
in Congress if we will deliver the ' 'Indian" vote on May 7. She is an
attractive candidate for a number of reasons; one of them being that she
is an Indian, and a female besides..She also is a talented educator and
a good campaigner. The scenario is in place, the political dynamics will
never be as advantageous to an Indian candidate as right now, this
moment. Victory is in our hand-Indian hands!!
If Indians will turn out in over whelming numbers on May 7, Rose
Marie Lowry-Townsend can win! Remember, she only needs 40% to
win out right on May 7 because there are six other candidates fighting
for the right to represent the Democrats in the primaiy. There are four
Republican candidates. One of them will vy for die Democratic standard
bearer in November for the right to replace retiring Rep. Charlie Rose.
We're nervous, of course. We know how the Indian electorate can be
some times. We are feist) , and sometimes unpredictable. No one should
take us for granted, ever! We have heard reports of I ndian Sheriff Glenn
-vl
Maynor and his buddy, the arena enthusiast, Lee Stevens, escorting
Glenn Jernigan, one of the other candidates, around the sheriff s office.
It's not unreasonable for Sheriff Maynor to be sociable to Gleiw
Jernigan because, according to news reports, he once served as lobbyist
for the Sheriffs Association. We believe Sheriff Maynor would be
friendly to any candidate visiting his domain, including'and especially
Rose Marie Lowry Townsend. Glenn Maynor is sheriff today because
his people, the Indian electorate, voted for him overwhelmingly; and
without blushing or being apologetic about it. We hope the sheriff, and
the rest of our power brokers, are supporting Lowry-Townsend. the
Indian candidate. If Sheriff Maynor, and the rest of the Indian politicos
support her, Lowry-Townsend can win. We believe they will... and
are!!!
AN INDIAN WOMAN, A BLACK MALE, AND FIVE WHITE
MALES ARE FIGHTING TO- WIN THE SEVENTH
CONGRESSIONAL DEMOCRATIC PRIMARY
History isat hand. Thinkabout it: an Indian woman from Pembroke,
North Carolina can become the first and only Congresswoman from the
Seventh Congressional District, replacing the retiring Charlie Rose.
LOWRY -TOWNSEND can win because she is talented, hard working,
and has raised enough money to carry her through a successful
campaign We w ould love to see her go head to head with one of those
ULTRA CONSERVATIVE Republicans waiting in the wings in
November, especially Robert Anderson or former Senator Jesse Helms
aide, RobcrtWilkie. The,. people from the Seventh Congressional
District would really have a choice then. Whoever gets 40 % of the vote
on May 7 will be the Democratic candidate for the 7th Congressional
District Think about it! There is one Indian woman running?Rose
Marie Lowry-Townsend. There is one Black male running?Marcus
Williams. And, Lord have mercy!, there are five White males running.
They are: Mike Mclntirc from Robeson County; Howard Greenbaum
from Kure Beach; and Cumberland County's delegation, Mike Dunn,
Glenn Jernigan, and George Breece. All of these people will be splitting
up the Democratic vote seven different ways. The only Na'tive American . i
Female in the race is Rose Marie Lowiy_Townsend. She can win if all
of us, especially the Indians, will turn out in record numbers and vote
for her. We promise you Robeson County will not slide off into the sea
ifshe wins; and she will introduceand work hard for Federal Recognition
for the Lumbee. In November, Rose Marie Lowry-Townsend has the best
chance to beat the Republican candidate, whether it is Robert Anderson. i
Robert Wilkie, Jim Cooperor Bill Caster. Remember, you heard it here
first. We aredeclaring Rose Marie Lowry-T ownsend the winner on May
7. Stay tuned. Only in Robeson County.
I Only in Robeson would the NAACP hire a White Professor to I
do a study on a school system with majority Indian students I
The NAACP report on the schools is, in our opinion, flawed
because it sets up an hypothesis that is unreasonable for Robeson?
County.? For instance, the report, done by Monte Hill, a former White,
political science teacher at Pembroke State University, pre- supposes
that every school with at least 45% of one race or another, either student
body or faculty, is segregated. It's just not sol
The report, for what ever reason, leaves out the student enrollment
for the Public Schools of Robeson County. Of the approximate 26,000
students enrolled in the Public Schools of Robeson County, 30.6% of
them are African-American (Black); 44.7% Native American (Indian);
and 23.8% Anglo-American (White). If this racial breakdown were
used as the yardkick of social measurement, it would not be so cockeyed
after all. For instance, if you round it off to the nearest percent, 45% of
all the students in the Public Schools of Robeson County are Indians.
-If one uses Hill's rationale, Indians would be segregated if 45% of
them were found in a particular school. Yet Indians make up 45%of the
student enrollment. Umm! It would havebeenbetter iftheNAACP had
done its own report, rather than rely on someone who, in our opinion,
doesn't know what he is talking about. Some good could have come
from this report if it had been done in good faith.
Hill also leaves out the history of Robeson County, and ignores the
racial vestiges of a system that was once six separate school systems
before merger finally was won in 1989. -Hill also chooses to ignorethe
fact that Robeson County now has one school system, not six as in our
segregated past. We are all, now, finally, being fed out of the same
educational spoon.
Hill's report also neglects to mention the good faith effort of the
PSRC.? The schools, under the strong leadership of Mr. Purnell Swett,
have also had to salvage a school system that is still trying to overcome
the poor leadership of former superintendent, William Johnson.++
Johnson and his team set the schools back considerably, as we see it.
WebelievetheNAACPanditsIeader,Rev.FranklinBowden,should I
be chastised for being divisive and leaking the report in the press before >
giving a copy of it to its subjcct-the Public Schools of Robeson County.
?It strikes us as being a strange way to get people to work with you in
a positive way. Again, we hope that that are no oxen to gore in this
matter and no axes to grind for reasons not known at the moment ?
We say. anew, only in Robeson County'.
I We lament the passing of Mr. H. Dobbs Oxendine and Ms. Rose Carter I {
It has been a sad time the last few days. The Indian ranks have lost
some stalwarts lately, inciudingDr. Adolph Dial, Mr.H. DobbsOxcndine.
and Ms. Rose Carter, and many others. We lament their passing, and
say. sadly, that our ranks have been thinned considerably by the loss of
these wonderful leaders who graced us for too short a time. We are glad
that they were with us for a season, and their collective memories will
guide us spiritually in the troubling days ahead.Last week, H. Dobbs
Oxendine died after a lengthy illness. He was a leader in the Republican
Party, and was a very successful businessman in Lumberton. He was
astute, independent, a man who did his own thinking. He marched to
his own music, and was a leader more than a follower. He did what he
thought was best, and followed in the tradition of his brothers, the late
Hilton Oxendine, Lumbcrton's first Indian councilman, and Hubert,
the successful owner of the Old Foundry Restaurant. His son, Dobbs.
Jr. is following in his footsteps, and is successful in his owh right as a
businessman and community leader Pembroke State University honored
Mr. Oxendine just days before he died It was very appropriate PSU
established the H. Dobbs Oxendine,Sr. Service Award 16 honor those
who have contributed significantly to the life of the university. The first
winner was former governor Jim Holshofflcr. a long time friend of Mr.
Oxendines.
This week we received the news that Ms. Rose Carter of Pembroke
died on Monday at the ripe age of 88. She was feisty, fiercely
independent, outspoken. She was a florist, a school teacher, our very
own Ms. Manners. She always knew exactly how we should do things
socially, whether it was a wedding or just a get together. And she was
not shy about telling us how to do it either.Ms. Carter leaves to mourn
her passing a son. John M. Carter. Jr of the home; a daughter, Ms.
Marilyn Roberts of Pembroke; two sisters. Sarah C. Hornsby of Ohio,
and Annie N. Mize of Florida. She also leaves to mourn her passing 16
grandchildren, 21 great-grandchildren, and two great-great
grandchildren. Services were held Wednesday at Biggs Funeral Home
Chapel in Lumberton with the Reverends Charles P. Locklear and
Douglas Locklear officiating.Both leave voids in the lives of their
respective families, friends and communities. They will be missed
always; still their memories will comfort us in the trying days ahead.
^ --aw"* '- . y?y ^ -iiBmr" -rwmmwn11 wwu irrrr"T?r~n"?. ,-:?"..^v.\k. J?-!:' ^W'-~ * V v
Descendants of the late Miles Henry Godwin and Margaret \
Jane Carter Godwin united in Native Robeson County nearly
a century after re-locating to Recovery, Georgia
By Ira Lee Lowry
Special to the Carolina Indian Voice
In the year 1887, Miles Henry Godwin and wife, Margaret Jane
Carter Godwin, moved their growing family from Robeson County in
North Carolina to a location near Recovery, Georgia, to grow cotton.
Recovery is located a few miles north of the Florida\Georgia line on the
Flint River.
With the decline of the cotton industry, they moved farther south into
North Florida, attracted by the tintber business, particularity sawmills
and turpentine stills. The Godwin family settled near the capitol city of
"*~ri Tallahassee, Fl.
According to the 1990 census, there were six more children born to
this family after leaving North Carolina. This has made a total of
thirteen children.
When Miles Henry and Margaret Jane Carter Godwin took their
family and moved south, they left behind two young married daughters.
Josephine Godwin Smith, who was married to James Haywood Smith,
and Annie Godwin Hammonds, married to William H. Hammonds.
One son, Seymorc Godwin, was left with his sister Josephine for about
3 years, until the father came and took Seymorc home with him.
That was the last visit for the father. Miles Henry, to Robeson County.
He died September 9, 1909. Margcrct Jane, the mother, never got to
return before her death in December, 1916.
Two of the sons came back to Robeson County and died here. Andrew
Jackson Godwin died August 17,1906, and his brother Seymorc Godwin
died March 3, 1968 Neither had any children.
Josephine Godwin Smith was the mother of twelve children, and
Annie Godwin Hammonds was the mother of nine. These twenty-one
children never saw their Godwin grandparents, and for more than sixty
years, noonc heard from any ofthc family in Florida. All communications
had stopped It was not known if any of the family members still existed.
On June 13,1995, the family members ofthe late JoscphineG. Smith
had one of the greatest surprises one could ever imagine.
VirginiaGodwin Branch, 99, the only surving child of Miles Henry
and Mary Jane Godwin, along with her daughter Emily Merritt. and her
grandson Adrian Merritt, from Crawfordville. FL., came to Lumberton.
N.C., in search of family members and to research family genealogy.
Everyone was so excited with the uniting of family members that had
never met and researching their Indian heritage. Both were accomplished.
Ms. Virginia went back with so much news about her family that not
many weeks passed before others from Crawfordville were in Robeson
County for a visit. Plans fora "Godwin'' family reunion were underway.
under the direction of Ira Lec Lowry. granddaughter of Josephine G.
Smith'.
The reunion was very w ell attended. There were descendants of four
of the Godwin sisters in attendance. There were thirty-five descendants
of Josephine Godwin Smith, and sixteen of Annie Godwin Hammonds,
and five Descendants of Margcrct Godwin Kinscy from Florida and
Virginia Beach,Va.
Virginia Godwin Branch, age 99, had seven members of her family
along. Included wasa fifth-generation grcat-grcat-granddaughtcr, Stevey
Roberts Members of this family were from Jacksonville Beach.
Crawfordville and Woodvillc.FL.
March 29, 1996 was a great highlight in the life of Virginia G.
Branch, her onc-hundrcth birthday. There was a big celebration with
about oric-hundrcd family members present.
Jessie B Smith Mavnor. youngest daughter of Josephine G. Smith,
and Ira L.cc T Lowry. a granddaughter of Josephine, both from
Pcmbrokc.N.C., attended this party While they were there, they met so
many more of the Godwin family members They came from as faraway
as Texas.
This one-hundred year old lady seems to be in excellent health, she
reads without glasses and her mind is very sharp. Her plans arc to return
to Robeson County for our Lumbce Homecoming. Way to go Aunt
Shown left to right: Ira Lee l.owry, granddaughter of Josephine
Godwin Smith and niece of Jessie, great niece of Virginia; Jessie B.
Smith Maynor, daughter of Josephine Godwin Smith and niece of
yirginia; Virginia Godwin Branch, youngest daughter of Miles
Henry Godwin and Margaret Jane CarterGodwin; andMahie White,
daughter of Mellsha Godwin Glover and niece of Virginia and
Josephine.
Stand for Children Day planned in near future
As tough as times are and as hard
as we struggle every day for our
children, each and every one of us
know we can do better. The choices
we make in,this last national election
year of the 20th century will shape our
nation's fate and our children's future
At this defining moment every
American who cares about children
must stand up and be counted.
Stand For Children will be a
national day of commitment to
children, a celebration, and a day of
renewal when we will go together a
Americans from every race, region,
income, age and faith. On June 1. we
will transcend our differences and
affirm what unites us as a people: a
loving desire to raise moral, healthy
and educated children: a sense of
fairness: and belief that in the richest
and most powerful nation on earth no
child should be left behind.
Stand For Children Day will not be
a partisan day. No politicians will be
invited to speak.
On Stand for Children Day we will
commit ourselves to positive personal
steps as families, citizens and
communities to do more to improve
the quality of children's lives: their
safety, school readiness, education and
future.
Stand For Children Day will draw
a line in the sand of doing no harm to
children that no political, corporate or
cultural leader dare cross
Stand For Children Day w ill make
clear to every candidate and office
holder that they need to hclpnot hinder
families struggling to raise moral,
healthy and educated children,
if vou or someone know would like
to go to Washington for Stand For
Children Dav please call Michclc
Woflord at 521-8602 for additional
information
Advisory Council
elections planned
at Swett High
Piirncll Sett High School will
hold Advisory Council elections
an Monday. May 6. 19% at 6:30
p in inlhc library Allparcntsarc
urged to attend
Plate sale planned
at Shoeheel
Church
A Plate sale and car wash will be
held at Shoeheel Church, located on
Highway 501. Maxton. on Friday and
Saturday. May 4 and 5. Chicken and
barbeque plates will be sold beginning
at 1 la m. and lasting until Proceeds
from the sale will be used for the
renovation of the church The public is
cordially invited to attend