Editorial and Opinion Page
Letters to the Editor
Local Artist Unhappy W ith Requirements
for Unity Conference Art Contest
To the Kditor. All Native American
Arusls and the United Tribes of
North Carolina Board
About four years ago 1 went to
sculpture only show in Lenoir. N'C to
show some of my art work While 1
was there 1 met a fine Cherokee artist
from the mountains of North Carolina
1 thought his work was great, so
1 asked if he had ever show n his work
at the Unity Conference He stated
that he had not 1 then suggested that
he should strongly consider entering
the show the follow ing year We then
started talking about various galleries
in the state 1 happened to mention
the Greensboro Native American
Art Gallery With the mention of
this gallery his lone of voice changed
and I could see the frustration in his
eyes He stated that he had shown his
work there and asked if I had ever
shown there I said no. but that 1 had
heard good things about it He went
on to tell me about how he had sold
a piece of art work there and how
hard it was to get paid from the sell
He warned me about all the calls it
would take to get my money, ifl ever
sold a piece there.
Well, 1 didn't take the warning
seriously It wasn't long afterwards
that my work was shown at the
Greensboro Gallery. 1 sold one piece
of art there. It wasn't an expensive
piece, but that is no.t the point The
point is. as artists we shouldn't have
to beg to get paid for our work.
The director of the gallery never
did send me my money . Fortunately.
1 knew her mother who eventually
sent the money to me I said all that
to sa> this Last year I entered my
favorite art show It was the Unity
conference Show (w hich 1 would title
"Our Winters Work" show) Miss
Wanda Locklcar w as kind enough to
take my work to the show for me It
was aware of the fact that as an
option, our work would travel to
Greensboro after the Unity Conference,
if we wanted it to i was not
aware that it has now become a requirement
to enter the Unity Conference
Show If 1 would have known
that last year. 1 never would have
entered last year's show 1 also know
that the Cherokee sculptor, who when
given these new requirements for the
Unity Conference Show, would not
have entered either When I went to
pick up my art work from the Conference
Show last year, I was told that if
I didn't let my work travel to Greensboro
that 1 would not be allowed to
enter this year's show
So there you have it! I've been
banned from the show As an optimist
however. I see it as a personal
boycott because after having read the
requirements in black and white in
the Carolina Indian Voice. I wouldn't
have entered anyway.
Thanks for hearing me our.
I am not trying tostart a revolt, but
1 think it is time we as artists stop
allowing ourselves to be taken advantage
of.
Signed by a Disgusted Artist.
D. Michael Wilkins
,
LRDA Head Start
Accepting
Applications
Lumbee Regional Development
Association/Head Start Program is
now accepting applications for children
ages 3-5 from low-income families
and children with special needs.
Applications may be picked up between
the hours of 7:30 a.m.-3:30
P.M. at the following locations.
Fairgrove Head Start-628-9570.
across from Green Grove Elementary
School .Renncrt Head Start. 8432562,on
Renncrt road; Allenton Head
Start. 618-0032, located on Hwv 211.
Bladenboro Road.
Applications are also available at
the Head Start office in Pembroke at
Revels Complex. If any additional
information is needed please call 910521
-8602 and ask for Amanda Hunt.
(Say You Read It
In The Carolina
Indian Voice. ,
Carolina Indian Voice
is published every Thursday by
First American Publications
304 Normal St. - College Plaza
Post Office Box 1075
Pembroke.' North Carolina 28372
Phone(919) 521-2826
Fax (919) 521-1975
Connee Brayboy. Editor
Subscriptions
One year in NC. $20.00
Out of state. $25 00
Second Class Postage Paid at
Pembroke. NC
WE'VE
GOT JOB
TRAINING
DOWN j
| TO A
SCIENCE.
APPLY NOW FOR
SPRING QUARTER
REGISTRATION
Monday, February 24
| Application must be on file
prior to registration.
Phone: 738-7101
BDBESON
XX.COMMUNITY COLLEGE
Post Otlice Box 1420
Lumber ton. North Carolina 28359
An Equal Opportunity Institution
Accredited by the Southern Association
ot Colleges and Schools to award the
Associate Degree in Applied Science and
Associate Degree in Arts
For the "Best Deal in Laurel
Hill" come see PATLOCKLEAR
at
SAM'S
Mobile Home
ALES Inc.
(no Down Payment Plan!)
9/ 0-462-3611 l aurel Hill, NC 2H3SI
Eye Witness to History
by Dexter Brooks,
Senior Resident Superior Court Judge
; -i
' V ...
One of the most exciting times in
my life was when I hod the privilege
of administering the Oath of Office
to JoAnn l.ocklear, Clerk of Superior
Court. I performed this ceremony
oif July 1,199-1. Ms. Locklear
was electedf^lyrk of Court in May,
199J and there was no Republican
opposition. Ms^ Dvde Barrington,
her predecessorfckose not to seek
re-election and retired in June, 199 J.
Ms. l.ocklear official became the
first Native American elected to the
county wide position of Clerk of
Superior Court. It H-as truly an historic
event. Following is the remarks
I made on this occasion:
At this time I feci that it would be
appropriate to make some remarks
given the historic event in which we
are involved. I tis not every day that
we install a new Clerk of Court for
Robeson County. People who hold
this particular office do so for extended
periods of time and so it is a
rarity to swear in a new Clerk of
Court "
The lady that we are about to
install is Mrs. Jo Ann Locklear. Before
doing so I am going to set the
stage from a historical perspective.
Her tenure with the Clerk's office
began on December the 5th of 1966.
After the election of 1966. the new
Clerk ofCourt, Mr. Ben G. Floyd. Jr.,
fulfilled a campaign promise to his
supporters by hiring Mrs. Locklear
as the first non-white employee of the
Clerk's office. Mrs. Locklear isa very
confident Christian lady. She went
about her duties over the next several
years with distinction so that she rose
through the hierarchy to become an
Assistant Clerk of Court in charge of
estates and special proceedings. This
is one of the most important positions
as she was in charge not only of
the estates but also a host of special
proceedings, including land divisions
and adoptions. In that role she actually
served as a judge convening her
own court making judicial decisions
in the matters under her authority.
Although I knew of Jo Ann as a
student at Pembroke High School we
became much better acquainted after
i became an attorney. During the
twelve years that 1 practiced law,
before I became a Superior Court
Judge, I had the pleasure of appearing
before Mrs. Locklear in her court
on numerous occasions On each of
these occasions you could always
count on these two things: first, that
Jo Ann was well-prepared for the
hearing, having read the file and
being familiar with the facts of the
case as well as anyone who appeared
before her, including the attorneys;
and secondly, she was well-prepared
on the law. You could always count
on Jo Ann to have read the applicable
statutes and delved into the case law
so that she was in a position to talk
about the legal niceties of the statute
and the technical, procedural aspects
of the case before her. In my appearances
before her I always found her to
be confident, courteous and fair to all
persons who appeared before her?be
they Democrator Republican.be they
rich or poor, or bo they native American.
African American or European
American. 1 commend her She is
well-prepared to assume the duties of
a her new office As 1 look about the
courtroom 1 sec a number of attorney
s I tell these attorney s that during
the course of the next twelve to twenty
years, or however long Jo Ann
chooses to be Clerk of Court, you are
going to be appearing in her court
just as I did in days past I admonish
you to be prepared when you go into
her courtroom Win your case below
because I assure you that Mrs.
Locklcar's rulings will not be reversed
on appeal?regardlessofwhich
judge just happens to be occupying
this seat In the past, any time I saw
Jo Ann Locklear's signature on an
order I knew that everything was in
proper form, that all the (i)'s had
been dotted and all the (t)'s had been
crossed, that everyone had had a fair
hearing, and that she had made the
best decision that anyone could have
made under the circumstances presented
to her-. Based on my experience,
I assure you that as a judge
when 1 see one of Jo Ann's orders, I
shall have no problem affixing my
signature in order to confirm or affirm
any such order.
Mrs. Locklear went about her duties
first as a deputy clerk and then as
an assistant clerk with distinction so
that upon the retirement of our able
formerClerk.Mrs. Dixie Barrington,
Mrs. Locklear was urged by many to
offer her services for the position of
Clerk of Court. In the primary election
there were a number of wellqualified
candidates for the position,
including Frederia Stephens with
whom I have had a very pleasant
association over the years. Mrs.
Stephens has served with distinction
as a district court reporter for more
years than I have practiced as an
attorney. But, in the primary election
the voters of Robeson County chose
to nominate Mrs. Locklear as the
Democratic candidate for the posi
Uon ot the Llerk ot the Robeson
County SuperiorCourt. Having won
the primaiy Mrs. Locklear is now the
Democratic candidate in the general
election. However, with the early
retirement of our former Clerk, Mrs :
Dixie Banington, our Senior Resident
Superior Court Judge, the Honorable
Joe Freeman Britt, saw fit to
appoint Mrs. Locklear to the vacancy
so created. This is the seat we are
filling today. Mrs. Locklear will serve
the remainder of the term of Mrs.
Barrington through the first of December
at which time the newlyelected
Clark will be installed. It is
my understandingthatMrs. Locklear
is unopposed in the fall election.
The election of Mrs. Locklear is
an historic event in Robeson County
because it is the first time that a
Native American or a non-white has
been elected to a county-wide office.
Furthermore, she did so in impressive
fashion in that she polled substantial
votes from all three racial
groups. This impressive victory is a
tribute to the fairness and the dili
gcncc with which Mrs Locklcar has
performed her duties o\cr the past
twenty-eight years It heralds the
beginning of a new era in our county
where people?regardless of their
race?can run for office, and if they
have paid their dues, as we like to say
in the system, and if they have been
fair to people of all races and all
socioeconomic backgrounds, and if
they have gone about their duties in
a quietly efficient manner as Mrs
Locklcar. they cancxpcct lobe treated
fairly by the voters of Robeson
County?European American. African
American or Native American
When I say that, I am reminded of a
famous speech of the Reverend Doctor
Martin Luther King, Jr Dr. King
spoke of hav ing a dream of a society
w hen the content of a person's character
would be more important than
the color of their skin. With a premonition
of his own death-he realized
that he would not survive the struggle
that he was involved in?he said that
his life did not matter because he had
gone up upon the mountain, and he
had looked down, and he had seen
the promised land. The promised
land that he described, Ladies and
Gentlemen, 1 believe is Robeson
County during the 2 lstcentury. What
we are building in this county is a
society where racial and socioeconomic
differences are not going to
have the over riding importance that
they have had in the past. A society
where anyone can aspire to any office
or any position in this county. If you
are competent, and if you are courteous
and fair to all of the people of
Robeson County, you can be successful
in your aspirations.
1 remember Mrs. Locklcar once
describing herself as a little girl who
grew up off the chicken Foot road in
Back Swamp Township in Robeson
County. Now, that little Native
American girl who grew up in those
modest circumstances is now about
to assume one of the most important
offices in the county. I say to the
group here, and I say to the entire
population of Robeson County, that
you can be successful whether at the
time of your birth you be rich or poor;
or black, white or Indian. The opportunity
is there. You can rise as far as
your ability will take you, unfettered
by the shackles of discrimination.
Wc should thank trail-blazers like
Mrs. Locklear who participated in
the history-making events that
brought about these changes.
. _ Weliveinaworldofchange. Who
would have thought only five years
ago that in the country of South
Africa there would be a democratic
election wherein a native African
would be elected as president, and
that the black African who was
elected had spent over twenty.years
in prison simply because he espoused
the principle that all people are created
equal and that every person's
vote should count the same as any
other person's vote? Who would
have thought that such could have
occurred in South Africa as recent as
five years ago? Nelson Mandella is
now a figure of historic proportions.
The quality I like best about him is
that while some people are broken by
events other people are shaped by
these events. I am reminded of the
Book of Job in the Bible. 1 am reminded
of how the Lord takes people
and puts them through trials and
tribulations, not to punish them but
lo temper their humamt> and to temper
their Christianity Nelson
Mandella went through that process
and he emerged as a sterling example
of Christian charity because today heespouses
not revenge but brotherhood
He urges that all South Africa*
of whatever color and whatever socioeconomic
background join together
hand-in-hand to cause the
country to progress
We have seen much change in
Robeson County in the last five years
Forcxaniplc. w ho w ould hav e thought
that they would see an African American
as Chairman of the Board of
Education, as Chairman of the Board
of Elections, as Chairman of the
Board of Trustees of Robeson Community
College, as Executive Directorof
the Human Relations Commission.
and an African American female
as the Executive Director of the
County Housing Authority, or a Native
American as Chairman of the
County Commissioners and as Superintendent
of the County Schools'"
Much change has occurred in this
county the last five years. Much more
change is going to occur in the next
five years. All of us-regardlcss of
who we are or where we come from-have
an obligation to make that
"change progressive. To see that by
reason of that change Robeson County
becomes a better place for all of usregardlcss
where we come from or
what racial group we just happen to
have been born in. Robeson County
has people with much talent. The
county will progress when we begin
to utilize the talents of all of our
citizens so that a person?whether
they be Black, Indian or white-grow ing
up on the chicken Foot Road in
Robeson County can aspire to any
office that their abilities quality them
to hold. To me this is the significance
of Mrs.. Locklear's victory in this
past primary. This is the significance
of the life of Jo Ann Locklcar. She is
a devout Christian. I say Jo Ann
Locklcar is a Christian because to me
that label is much more important
than the fact that she happens to have
been born Native American or the
fact that she happens to have been
born in modest circumstances off the
Chicken Foot Road in back Swamp
Township in Robeson County. Let us
collectively wore towara inciacs tnai
were espoused by Dr. Martin Luther
King., Jr. Let us look to people such
as Nelson Mandclla for an example
of how change can occur so that all
benefit and the county progresses by':
reason of the change.
Nou^Avith your having allowed
me to make those remarks where I
have tried to set to the lone of this
occasion,' at tfris tim.e I am going t<y
recognize Mr. Grady punt who is;
going to present Mrs Locklear to the;
court and to this assembly of her
constituents.
v?,ic<
a ?"J'
$30 Million
Available for Youth
Build Program
by John "Tall Rird" Marshall
HUD has announced that $30
million is available in Fiscal Year
1997's funds for the "Youthbuild
Program "
Eligible applicants arc American
Indian Tribes. Local Housing Authorities.
Private or Public Non-Profit
Agencies, and State or l-ocal Units of
General Government
The "Youthbuild Program" is designed
to help economically disadvantaged.
young adults with opportunities
such as: employment skills,
on-site coast ruction work experience,
furtherance ofcducat ion. and a means
to achieve self-sufficiency through
the application of learned leadership
skills in the community
Dale of availability ior applications
arc yet lobe announced Applications
will be accepted at the Processing
and Control Unit, Office of
Community Planning and Development.
HUD, 451 7th Street. South
West. Room Number 7255. Washington,
DC 20410
Application materials will be
available through the "Internet" at
Gopher IICOMCON ORG 75/11 or
from Community Connections, 1800-998-9999.
^ r>il / J\| \ y xKfl r IJ fY|p \4j^L-s^/~~~~^byDr. Ston Knick, Director^
?-- -T"a^&5 / >?* UNCPNative American Resource Center ,
In last week's segment, we looKea
hrough the perspective of Arthur i
McDonald (Oglala Sioux) at two I
issues concerning Indian education. I
McDonald believes that the national
drop-out rate for Native American
college students is high because of the
clash of cultural values which occurs
when students leave their traditional
communities and go away to school
on "the white man's road (Native
Heritage: Personal Accounts by
American Indians 1790to the Present,
edited by Arlene Hirschfelder; page
17)." McDonald also believes that
many Native American students
either never go to college, quickly
drop out of college or have difficulty
adjusting once they get back home
because of an attitude widely held in
traditional Indian communities ?
the attitude that education represents
a rejection of "the old traditional ways
(ibid., page 17)."
McDonald's view of Indians and
education is in contrast to the view
of some other Native Americans,
including Shoshone-Bannock poet
Ed Edmo. lidmo believes that there
arc positive aspects to both the old and
new ways:
"On one hand, the family will try
to hold onto cultural values that have
en handed down. On the other hand
some of those values have changed....
It used to be that when a family saw
visitors approaching, the family would
automatically get up and begin
cooking a full meal for the visitors.
[Tie visitors were then expected to sit ,
indeat;ifthefamilydidnotcook...thcn i
he visitor would be offended. Also, if <
he visitors refused to eat, then the
iamily...would be offended.
"Nowadays, the family will just
isk the visitors, 'Have you eaten yet?'
...Some traditions have changed to suit
modern times....
"The child is living in two worlds.
Some Indians say that we can lake the
best of both worlds for ourselves.
Maybe the child will be taught how to
Indian dance at home and do school
work to the best of their ability. Many
of the leaders stress to the children the
importance of getting an education
(meaning a formal education) because
the old people know that education
offers a person more choices for
employment... (ibid., page 21)."
This difference of opinion
between Edmo and McDonald
illustrates an important fact. It is a fact
which no doubt will seem obvious to
some people, but which has
apparently been overlooked by many
others. The illustrated fact is that not
all Native Americans sec things the
same way. Despite the truth of this
(perhaps too obvious) statement, we
still hear people speaking of "the
Native American perspective" as
though they thought there were only
one worldvicw shared by all Indians.
A researcher comes to town looking
for "the Native American perspective"
on federal recognition. A reporter
asks an Indian leader for "the Native
\merican perspective" on puDiic
ichool curricula. A Native American
:laims to speak with the voice of all
his fellow Native Americans.
Meanwhile, the fact remains that not
all Native Americans see things the
same way. < ;
This fact is no more or less true of
Native Americans than it is of any
other ethnic group. No one Asian can
truly speak for all Asians. No single
European knows what all the;
Europeans-think. Not even all
Christians see everything the same
way. This is human nature ? the
researchers and reporters and leaders
and everyone else might as well get
used to it. *
Thcdiffcrcnccof opinioVt between
Edmo and McDonald also
demonstrates the value of Arlcnc
Hirschfcldcr'shook (Native Heritage:
Personal Accounts by American Indians
1790 to the Present). Because it
contains the words of so many Native
Americans ? from diverse tribal
backgrounds and different times and
places ? it allows us to glimpse
the true diversity of Native America.
The book provides an essential clue
for anyone who would study, speak
about or speak for Native Americans:
there is a lot of homework to be
done.
For more information, visit the
Native American Resource Center in
historic Old Main Building, on the
campus of The University of North
Carolina at Pembroke.