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-.
<vy ith the Bureau of Indian Affairs
(BIA)
Dr Chavis has also negotiated
join projects with the University of
Arizona. Donna'Jurich and Jim
VcndcrgrifT. of the Department of
education, and Kevin Locklcar of
the American Indian Studies Programs
at the University of Arizona.
have implemented an ongoing inservice
training project between the
school district and the University of
Arizona.
The Theodore Roosevelt School
System is presently pursuing criminal
chargcsagainsi the former school
superintendent for misappropriation
of school funds In addition. Johnny
Enfield, president of the school board,
who wascolla bora ting with 11k former
school superintendent, was also removed
from the school board
According to Theodore Roosevelt
School Board member Rjipcrt l.upc.
"With all Dr Chavis' credentials and
understanding of Apache culture, he
is an asset to our community When
he came staff morale was really low.
within one week Dr Chavis turned..;
all that around "
'rrsm
. w