TH CAROLINA, INDll#. VOICE^ \ ed each Thursday by First American Publications, Pembroke, NC VOLUME 24 AUMH THURSDA Y, JANUARY V, 7997 TWENTY-FIVE CENTS Dexter ks Sworn in as Senior Resident Superior Court Judge, Be com git est Ranking Native American in Judicial System by John R. Brayboy History was made once again in Robeson Counly on January 2, 1997 when Superior Court Judge Dexter Brooks was sworn in as the Senior Resident Superior Court Judge. Judge Brooks became the highest ranking Native American in the judicial system. Judge Brooks was the first and only Native American Superior Court Judge in the State of North Carolina He now adds to that distinction the honor of Senior Resident Superior Court Judge The Honorable Burly Mitchell, Chief Justice ofthc SupremeCourt of North Carolina administered the oath of office . Lunibcrton Courtroom #2A was filled to capacity with well wishers and court officials who came to witness the historical event. Judge Mitchell reflected on his long acquaintance with Judge Brooks and their long friendship. He staled that both of them attended N.C State. He readily acknowledged that Judge Brooks was one of the smartest men he had met Another area they had in common, he said, was that both of them were Vietnam Veterans. Following comments by Judge Mitchell, Pembroke Attorney Arnold Locklear of the law firm, Locklear. Jacobs and Hunt, introduced Judge "Brooks to the court. - Some Background Judge Brooks is the son of the late John Brooks and Mrs. Lei,- Brooks of Pembroke. His mother, 91-yearsold, was by his side when Judge Brooks took his oath. Judge Brooks attended the local schools and graduated from Pembroke High School. He is a graduate of N.C. State University where he received a double major in engineering and mathematics. Following his graduation from State he returned tc Robeson County and taught at wha is now Robeson Community Col lege Wanting to make a difference ir Robeson County, Judge Brooks goi involved in politics. Recognizing the injustices in the system in the county prompted him to apply to law school He was accepted at UNC Chapel Hill Law School and earned hisjuris doctorate. Upon returning to Robeson County he entered private practice and specialized in civil litigation. As an attorney, Judge Brooks, filed the first suit in the county under the Voting Rights Act. The suit involved the city of Maxton. As an attorney. Judge Brooks was involved in many civic and legal activities. The most notable of these was the Save Old Main Movement which resulted in the preservation ol the first brick structure on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and the double voting suit which resulted in one vote for both county and city residents ir the election for members to the Boarc of Education. According to Locklear. Judge Brooks was instrumental in chang ing many of the injustices in the county for the better, including the merger of five school systems Judge Brooks was born at a time in Robeson County when Indian: and Blacks were considered am treated as second class citizens. A that time and for many years thcrcaf ter, there were three rest rooms in a I public places in the county Thcr was one for the whites, the Indian and the Blacks In addition, in man of* the white owned and opcratcc businesses, an Indian or a Blacl could not sit down in the restaurant and drink a coca cola. These injustices suffered by the Indians and Blacks in this county w ere remembered by many as Judge Brooks took his oath of office and served only to add to the historical significance of the occasion Following theoathofofficc. Judge Brooks addressed those in attendance He thanked those who were there to share the event with him. "1 am humbled to see all of you here to see me sworn in," he said The Judge seemed tobc genuinely moved by the moment. A Brief History Lesson He recognized some of the people in his life who had been influential in his success. He recalled that his father and mother always encouraged him and were driving forces in his life. His father was an educator and a farmer. He acknowledged his Christian upbringing and felt that it was a lasting foundation for his life He recalled that his father would hot accept anything less than all A's in school because he believed that his son was capable of excellent school work. Judge Brooks staled that he served a tour of duty with the United Stales Army following hisgraduation from N.C. State. While serving in the Army, he served a year in Vietnam and received several awards, honor sandcommcndations. Aflerhis military service he returned to Robeson County. Judge Brooks spoke of the perception that most people had of the judicial system in the county. He recalled the comment his mother made when he told her he had decided to go to law school She said, "Son, can't you find something better . to do?" > He was determined, he said, to l become an attorney and do his part tc - resolve some of the problems faced b) the citizens of the county. Through i his efforts, along with many othei t people, changes for the better have : come about. ' Judge Brooks acknowledged George Ziegler of Maxton who was involved in the Voting Rights Act lawsuit. He called him his friend. He acknowledged also Eric Prevatte who worked diligently for school merger. Eric, he said, was also a friend. He acknowledged retired Superior Court Judge Henry McKinnon and stated that he used Judge McKinnon as a role model. He stated that there were three things he tried to do when he became a Superior Court Judge: (1) to know more about the law than the lawyers before him; to be fair; and to ' be courteous. These traits, he said, he had seen in Judge McKinnon Judge Brooks remembered the late Julian Pierce who was killed while : running for Superior Court Judge in i 1988 Following his untimely death. 1 the legislature created a special judgeship and Judge Brooks was appointed : and became at that time the first Na live American Superior Court Judge : He was later elected to the posilior : and in the 1996 General Electior became Senior Resident Supcrioi : Court Judge In this position, Judg< s Brooks will be responsible for evdty J thing involved in Superior Court ii t Robeson County Farewell to Joe Freeman Hritt I Until the General Election, Jo c Freeman Britl served as Senior Rcsi ,S dent Judge Judge Britt became judge by default in 1988 after the death ol J Pierce and after the electorate of this e county elected the dead Julian Pierce as Superior Court Judge These facts only added to the significance of this historical event. Many people were thrilled to be there when Judge Dexter Brooks replaced Britt. There was a sense of justice and fairness in the air Judge Brooks then explained to the audience the three portraits that he w ould hang in the Robeson County Courthouse. They will be displayed in a prominent place and any one who interacts with the Superior Court will see them The first one. Judge Brooks said, would be a portrait of Thomas? Jefferson who penned the Declaration of Independence. The second one will be a portrait of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. who "pricked the conscience of America and reminded us that the Declaration of Independence was for all people," Judge Brooks said. He stated that he had asked Tom Jones, chairman of the Robeson County Black Caucus to select a suitable portrait of Dr. King to be hung in the court house Noticing the trend by this time, many in the audience wondered which Indian would be promincntl> displayed in the court house The crowd did not have to wonder long. Judge Brooks informed them that it would be Henry Berry Lowric, Indian hero. The judge then gave a brief history lesson the life and times of Henry Berry Lowrie. He reminded theaudiencethat members ofLowrie's "gang" were comprised of Indians. Blacks and European Americans. He told about Lowric's father and brother being murdered by the Confederate Home Guard and called Henry Berry Lowrie a champion of equality for Indians. He staled that on two distinct occasions Lowric turned himself into the judicial system, believing tlrat fairness and equal' ity was possible for him. Each time. Lowrie was disappointed and each time he escaped from the impregnable jails where he was incarcerated.. Judge Brooks said that during the , time of the raid on Allen Lowric's . (Henry Berry's father) home by the * Home Guard the women and children were locked up in the smoke house. Among the children waseightyear old Sandy Brooks. Sandv Brooks was raised by Allen Lowrie'sbrothcr. Sinclair. The judge explained thai was how the Brooks family was related to the Lowrie's. He also explained thai Sandy Brooks was his grandfather and that he was named in his honor. Sandy Dexter Brooks Judge Brooks then pledged to continue to work on improvements in the court system and to work with other agencies in the county when they interfaced with the court system. It was a day to remember, especially for Native Americans because it was another first in our history . As the crowd moved across the hall for a reception in the judge's' honor, many comments were made ( Some of the lawyers predicted that people of the county would sec ' changes in the court system for the [ better ^ Someone else said that Judge Brooks might be considered a bit radical to hang Henry Berry Lowric's portrait but they did not think so c They felt itwasappropriatcand right . This same observer said that they knew only one other Indian who . would be courageous enough to hang Henry Berry Lowric's picture in the | court house?Bruce Barton, former editor of the Carolina Indian Voice.' Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Dexter Brooks is shown above with family members and Chief Justice of the North Carolina Supreme Court Burly Mitchell. Shown left to right are: Mrs. Maggie Lois Mercer, Judge Brooks' sister; Chief Justice Mitchell; Judge Brooks; his mother, Mrs Lela Brooks; and his brother, Larry T. Brooks, member of the Pembroke Town Council. Attending the swearing in of Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Dexter Brooks weye many elected officials, friends, and well wishers. Shown above are newly-elected District Court Judge Jeff Moore and Madie Rae Cochlear, the only woman elected to serve on the Lumbee River Electric Membership Corporation's Board of Directors. Both are residents of the Prospect community. Shown left to right: Randy Hammonds, First Sergeant with the North Carolina Highway Patrol (first Indian to serve in that capacity); Connee Brayboy, Editor of the Carolina Indian yok e; and Johnny Hunt, Chairman of the Robeson Count}' Board of Commissioners and Principal of Prospect School. Shown above: Arthur Shall, Judge Advocate for Pembroke VFW Post 2843 and NC State Advocate. Mr. ShutI tvill become Junior Vice Stati ('ommander this year and in 1998 will serve as Senior Pice Commander, and will become State Commander in 1999. He is shown with the Rev r Hilton Peese who is Post ('ommanderfor Pembroke VFW Post 2843. Rev Peese will become Pistrict Commander in the 1997-98fiscal year. He i: an Evangelist with the I.umber River Holiness Methodist ('onference am is now serving the residents of Pembroke Place Nursing Center ii Pembroke. Birth Announcement Wisconsin-Mr andMrs. Anthonj Oxendinc of Sun Prairie announce he birth of their First child, a daughter, Kathcrinc Anne Oxendinc on December 19, 1996 in St Mary's Hospital in Madison. Wisconsin Mrs. Oxendinc is the former Kim Marie Parulcski of Green Bay. Wisconsin. "Kate." weighing 7 lbs 1 o/. and measuring 18 1/2 inches at birth is the First grandchild pf Lawton and Gcraldinc Revels Oxendinc. native ?Robesonians jjhp reside in Milwaukee. Wisconsin. Pembroke VFW to host district meeting The Pembroke VFW Post #2843 will host the District 8 meeting on Sunday, January 12, 1997 at 1:00 p.m. The meeting will be held at the Post on Union Chapel Road and all members are encouraged to attend The regular monthly meeting for the Pembroke VFW will be held Monday evening, January 13. All members are encouraged to attend this meeting We wish everyone a very happy ncwyearas we begin 1997.Godbicss each of you Envin Jacobs Post Surgeon Lorna McNeill and Pembroke Elementary to Participate in Inauguration Ceremonies Lorna McNeill, a junior at the University of North Carolina and a former Miss Luntbec will sing the National Athent at the 1997 Inauguration of the Honorable James B Hunt, Governor of the State of North Carolina The Inauguration will beginon Friday January 10.1997 at 10:00 a.m. Alsoparicipating in Inauguration events will be the chorus from Pembroke Elementary School I Happy Birthday r It seems like only ycslcrsaay fjsa l.owry Dial was only three t anil getting dirty liiil on Jaiiary 12th our little girl will be thirty' l.ove, Your Mom and Dad, c Flora Jane and Harvey l.owry / and brothers "* i llarveyJrjandl''harles^ Say you read it in Carolina Indian Voice. Dr. Ben Chavis, Lumbee to serve as Supt. of Fort Apache School System While on sabbatical. Dr Ben Chavis.aLtimbcc from the S addict rcc community and professor of education at the University North Carolina at Pembroke, has been recruited to serve as superintendent of the Theodore Roosevelt School System on the Fort Apache Indian Reservation in Arizona The school system was facing a major financial crisis due tot he mismanagement of funds According to Michael Tcrmain. a principal in the school district. "Dr Chavis has made tremendous strives in preventing our school system from entering bankruptcy " The school board targeted Dr Chavis for Ins understanding of the social dynamics of the reservation and school financing The school system owes the state department in excess of $600,000, in addition to other numerous debt collectors The school board voted unanimously in support of Dr Chavis Dr Chavis'first action, along with the support of the school board and the tribal government, was to negotiate a $ 12 million facilities renovation project, within the school district-.