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Eye Witness to History by Dexter Brooks, Senior Resident Superior Court Judge J The office of High Sheriff of beson County has long been ught of as the highest political ice in the county. In 1994 Glenn lynor was elected to that position, eas an exciting time. He became first non-white to be elected as eriff. It was one of the highlights ny life. I was privileged to admintr the oath of office to Sheriff tynor at the Lumberton Court i use. It was an appropriate setg for this historic event Many ople attended. Following are the narks I gave on December 5, 94 upon administering the oath office to newly-elected Sheriff enn Maynor: It is good to be here today on such historic occasion. I would be reiss in my responsibility to do jusc to this ceremony if I did not take historical perspective in order to termine how we came to be here day and to examine the signifincc of this event to our county. Some one hundred thirty-three ars ago the Civil War was being ught in Robeson County as well as roughout the southern states of our ition. This war was fought over the oposition whether black people juld be citizens of these United ales or whether they would coniuc merely tobc considered as chatIs or property owned by while ople. The rights of Native Amerii*s were somewhere in between the >nts of European Americans and ose of African Americans. Alough Native Americans were not ives, we were classified by the Stale North Carolina as free people, of lor, meaning essentially that we id no rights of citizenship. For e.\ nple, Native Americans did not ave the right to vote, the right to ;ar arms, and the right to serve on tries. In other words, the system of istice was closed not only to African mcricans but was closed likewise to alive Americans. The Civil War Idrcssed such inequities in the civil id criminal justice systems. During that time, there was a aique individual, Henry Beriy awric, who played a major role in itcrmining the structure of presently Robeson County and the rights at we enjoy today. When 1 say "we" am speaking not only of Native mcricans, but also of African mericans as well as European mcricans. After tt^e war, during the period ' reconstruction, the Ku KI\ci,K-lan as activcall over the South,-includg Robeson County. Among the ore dastardly acts perpetrated by c Klan was the taking of reprisals ;ainst persons who had cooperated ith the Union troops moving rough Robeson County At lcasl to people were murdered by the lan by reason of their having served ; guides for General William T. lerman as his troops made theii ay through the then nearly impenrablc swamps of Robeson and adja:nt counties. One was Ben Bcthea, former slave who was beaten oi hipped to death, and the other was lalcolm Sanderson who was Native mcrican. Two Native Americans iptured by the klan were about to be urdered when one of the Indians ndrew Strong, was able to escape trong carried the news o! andcrson's murder to Henry Bcrrj id to the criminal authorities hen i the county scat of Lumberton. Oni r the principals involved in th< lurders wds James Taylor who was lA o" lh? ICadCr ?f lhC K" K,UX Kla" After waiting an appropriate period of time to give the criminal justice system an opportunity to render justice in the murders and after it appeared that the criminal justice authorities were not going to take any action, Henry Berry Lowrie then took the only means that he had at his disposal to render justice in the murders. He became the instrument of justice and meted out the same justice to the leaders of the Ku Klux Klan as was administered by the Klan to Ben Bethea and Malcolm Sanderson Within sight of an encampment of federal troops that were in Robeson for the express purpose of apprehending him, Henry Berry shot Taylor at point blank range with a shotgun. After killing Taylor and then calmly removing all valuables from the body, Henry Berry made his way back into the swamp with the troops in hot pursuit. Henrv Bern never had to answer to anyone for that particular act or anv other such actions because no onc'was able to kill or capture him. The actions or Henry Berry should not be termed "crimes" because wc must remember that unfortunately violence must remain the final option of all people who would remain free. As Thomas Jefferson, a patriot, once said "the tree of liberty must be refreshed and watcrcdTrom time to time with the blood of patriots.' Henry Berry Lowrie had to act in his time with the only means he had at his disposal. But his actions assured that the Ku Klux Klan could not operate in Robeson Count) as they were able to do so otherwise throughout the State. He also assured that acts of violence such as those inflicted upon Ben Bethea and Malcolm Sanderson did not happen again. As a'matter of fact, the Klan did not even attempt to operate in this county again until 1958 when they tried to hold a rally near the Town of Maxton and were routed by a host of armed Native Americans. Hciuy Berry Lowrie played a major part in shaping Robeson County as vve know ilioday. Anothcrbrave man later played a similar role in his time The Reverend Doctor Martin Luther King, Jr. had a major impact on Robeson County as wc know it. Durmg the lime of Dr. King, although the Klan did not operate in Robeson County, there was in force in Robeson as well as throughout the State of North Carolina a system ofso-callcd Jim Crow laws whereby African Americans and Native Americans were denied the right to vote, denied the right to participate in thepolilical' ! process, denied the right to serve on juries, and further denied numerous i other constitutional and statutory rights that all of us take for granted : today. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. galvanized the attention of the country on the injustices that people or color, African Americans as well as Native Americans, were having to endure throughout the South, includ> ing RobcsOn County. By virtue of the courage of the followers of this clo; qucnt gentleman and because oOhcir willingness to endure the violence ; that was inflicted upon them, they captured the conscience of the coun try thereby causing to be enacted a series of federal civil rights statutes. the most important of which was the [ Voting Rights Act of 1965 ; The Voting Rights Act invali, dated the discriminatory laws that - southern states, such as North Caro5 lina, had utilized to prevent African Americans and Native Americans from being able to exercise the right to vote thereby denying these same people the right to participate in the decision-making processes of this county and this state By virtue of the sacrifices of Dr King, America is a better place lolive for all of us He willingly laid his life down on the altar, so to speak, because he knew that he was not going to survive the struggle for equality waged by the Civil Rights Movement He did so willingly because he knew that people of color who came after him would be able to enjov the rights that such people had been denied for generations. Because of the sacrifices of Henry Berry Lowrie and Dr Martin Luther KingJr the political system of Robeson County was transformed so that a candidate not of European descent, such as Glenn Maynor. can offer himself or herself for a public office and havea rcasonablcchanceofwinning an election for that office. Before 1988 I doubt that anyone could have reasonably expected a Native American or an African American can candidate to have had any great measure of success running for the office of Sheriff of Robeson County Federal court decisions have resulted in revolutionary change in the political system of Robeson County . The latest round of redisricting in 1991 has caused all of the boards that exercise power in Robeson County to become truly tri-racial. The Chairman of the Board of Elections and the Board of Trustees of Robeson Community College are African American. The Chairman of the Board of Education and the Board of Commissioners are Native American. This progress laid the foundation for the minority electoral successes that occurred this year. Now, it is one thing to have the opportunity and it is quite another thing to have a person who is able to seize that opportunity and to realize a dream that is shared by many people. The election for sheriff was hotlycontested. Without making any statement as to the merits of the various candidates who offered themselves for the position, suffice it to say it look three separate elections to finally determine the sheriff of this great county. That individual is Mr. Glenn Maynor who is about to be invested with the great power of that position. In other counties around the slate, they have a sheriff, but in Robeson County we do things differently simply because we arc different from any other county. Since we arc so different I do not think you would b< surprised if we did things differently when it comes to politics. InRobcsoi no racial group has a majority of lh< population or the elected voters a 2 the political rules that apply in othc Klaces do not apply in Robcsoi County We have oul own special ways of doing things We base our own special olTiccs. and instead of simply electing a shcrilT. we elect a High Sheriff Ladiesand gentlemen,the Sheriff of Robeson Counts aiid the sheriff of any other county in North Carolina. b> virtue of being the sheriff, is thc chicf law enforcement officer of the county In Robeson County. in addition to being the chief law enforcement officer, the sheriff is also the High Sheriff When 1 use the term High Sheriff what 1 mean is that any person in Robeson County-no matter who they are and no matter w hat kind of problem they have?feels that they can go to the High Sheriff and get their problem solved If they have petitioned the Board of Education, the Board of Social Services, the Health Board or the County Commissioners and not gotten satisfaction, rcgardlcssofthcdistrictin which they live, they know that they elected the High Sheriff. They know that the High Sheriff is the most powerful public officer in the county By virtue of the authority of that position?which goes back to the Sheriff of Knottingham in England and even further back-thcy can enlist his support and he will get on the phone and do whatever is necessary in order to see that justice is rendered on their concern. I a m happy to say to the citizens of Robeson County that we have elected the consummate law enforcement officer in the person of Mr. May nor 1 can now say that since Mr. Maynor is no longer a candidate so I am certainly not endorsing him for any public office. In any case he obviously did not need any such endorsement since he was successful in three elections. He is now the Sheriff-Elect of Robeson County. As such I would be remiss in my responsibility as the Resident Superior Court Judge if I did not speak well of our newShcriff. Mr. Glenn Maynor. The voters, in their inherent wisdom, have elected the consummate jack-of-all-trades. You have elected a man as High Sheriff who is second to none in the State of North Carolina and in the great Democratic State of Robeson in getting things done for his constituents. 1 would be remiss in my responsibility to do justice to this historic event if I did not note that Mr. Maynor is the first person to serve as Sheriff who is not of European descent. I say that not to say that makes him any belter as an individual and I do not say that to say by reason of that ' fact he will serve even better in his 5 capacity as sheriff. It was written in ' a local newspaper recently that the 1 retirement of Sheriff Hubert Stone 5 reflected the end of an era. When the 9 oath of office is administered to Mr. r Maynor, it will reflect the beginning 9 of a new era in Robeson County when anv person?regardless ol \Mncti racial group he or she happens to be a member of- can legitimate!) aspire to the highest position in this count) and can be successful if the) can coin nice the voters of the merits of their campaign When I sa\ coin nice the voters. I ant not talking about the voters of am one particular racial group I am speaking about the voters of all the racial groups that are present here today because the realm of politics in presvyil-dav Robeson Count) is that if >ou cannot gel a significant number of votes from all three racial groups, vou are in serious trouble This new era arrived in this election because?as far as candidates vv ho arc elected b> all of us. that is not those who arc elected bv districts?vvcelected two Native Americans. two African Americans and two European Americans. First of all. we elected a Native American. Glenn Mav nor. as Sheriff Wc elected .i Vinse American \lr> Jo Ami lock lea i as Clerk ol ' cut: \\w elected John Carter an Atrican American as District Court Judge We elected Herbert Rishaidson. an African American, as Distiicl I oihi Judge Judge Richardson also serves as C hief District Court Judecol ilus judicial district We elected the I n ropean American coiiiiiiiiuiIn Johnson Brut as sour District Altornev and J Similes C arnucal as one ol sour District Court Judges We lei loss citi/.ens. unless ins math fails mc. I do not beliesc that, sse could liase gotten ans uioje racial balance than that esen if sse eolleetisels e\pressls tried to do so Willi those remarks o is appropriate at this time for ine to administer the oath of ofl'icc to our ncss slierilf. Mr Glenn Mas nor We are reads to begin a ness era in out Instors Native American% Handcrafted Wooden Doughboards For Sale designed I >n* litis! in I .<>( klr.tr (!) I < ?> "12 I H:i47 Social Security Disability Who should collect Social Security Disability Benefits? People of any age who cant work because of a physical or mental condition. But saying you should receive benefits doesn't mean you will, without experienced legal help. Put our experience to work for you. Hall & Joneth, P.C. Attorneys at Law 4850 Fayetteville Road Lumberton, N.C. 1-800-682-8702 By Appointment Only Additional Offices in Raleigh, Fayetteville, Goldsboro, Rocky Mount and Smithfield Representing Social Security Claimants Since 1979 The Law Office of RONNIE SUTTON 208 Union Chapel Road V-. In '.. . Pembroke Will remain OPEN j Monday - Friday 8:30 A.M.-4:30 P.M. j While the General Assembly is in session My Legal Assistant and I stand ready to assist with your PERSONAL INJURY and other matters. Do you have injuries from a car wreck or slip & fall? Call (910) 521-4797 for an appointment. No cost for initial interview. Annual Tuscarora Tribal Gathering of the Tuscarora Tribe of North Carolina Saturday, March 8, 1997. 10:30 am - Until Mt. Airy Park - Boy Scout Building Guest Speakers Traditional Iroquois Ceremonies Modern & Traditional Entertainment Come Traditionally Dressed If Possible Please Bring Children Traditional Tuscarora Language Spoken Food Will Be Served State Of The Tribe Address..Chief Cecil Hunt Say you read it in Carolina Indian Voice. To subscribe call 521-2826 Ask your pharmacist' what he recommends. . _ SOOTHING RtUtF Of tor painful mouth sores. Canker Sores Gum Irritations More pharmacists I recommend T4M4C TANAr; than any other liquid. I NO STING UaUl^j Use as directed. 01996 Del Pharmaceuticals, Inc., a subsidiary of Del Laboratories, Inc. Pembroke Drug and Home Health Across from the Pembroke Town Park OJum and W. 3rd Street , 521-9797pharmacy services/ 521-4329 home care services and equipment We gladly accept Medicaid patients at our pharmacy!!! 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The Carolina Indian Voice (Pembroke, N.C.)
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March 6, 1997, edition 1
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