Published each Thursday 111 Pembroke, N.C. I
Car?>unaIndian Voice
IQI.I MI: 33 S UMBER 3 THURSDAY, JANUARY 20. 2005 X \ ' 25<-'
",V 2 7 2005 j f
Dr. Martin L. Brooks, recipient of Order
of the Medicine Wheel Award: his story
ny Dr. km it Dial nooth
Martin I uther Brooks was born the first son of Peter Brooks and
Attie Mae Cummings in Detroit. Michigan in 1929. The advent of the
Great Depression led the family and the first four of their eleven children
back to their homeland of Robeson County in 19.12 to the Union
Chapel Community This community served as an incubator of religion.
education and leadership for Martin's early life Growing up as
a young man. he played a guitar and was often found praising and
worshipping God in the local church and at family gatherings The
community school provided him with opportunities for competition
and mental stimulation where he excelled in mathematics, science and
quisic According to Martin's childhood stories. "Mr Pete." as he
was affectionately called, was responsible for the first school bus for
Indian students in Robeson County A retired body of a bus was
transposed on a flatbed and ran a route to pickup students for school
Martin's job was to keep order on the bus. IvR first opportunity for
leadership
Martin remembers how his mother and father stressed the importance
of education After eating supper at the family table, covered
with oilcloth, the table would be cleared and "Mr Pete' would call all
of the children to the table with their books and sitting at the head of
the table, supervised their homework It was only after chores and
homework had been completed, that the family listened to the batteryoperated
radio to hear Gabriel Heater, the fights of Joe Louis, and the
Grand Ole Opry "Mr Pete" had left Robeson County in the 7'h grade
to seek work in Detroit, Michigan, but returned to Robeson to claim
his bride who had completed two years at the Indian Normal School
In 1935. the Brooks family moved to the Bear Swamp Community
Martin grew up among the religious "giants" including Lonnie Jacobs.
Tommy Swett, Jim Maynor and Venus Brooks while attending Bear
Swamp Baptist Church His grandparents, James and Celester Maynor
Cummings and Sandy and Effie Jones Brooks, were pillars of the
community and their role in the extended family provided support and
encouragement as w ell as high expectations Martin did not falter, and
. at Pembroke High School, he met other moral and educational challenges
from Mr Elmer T Lowry. Mr Bennie Sampson, and Mrs Ruby
Dial His years in the Pembroke schools were golden years of finding
keys to knowledge and wisdom that provided the foundation for
intellectual pursuits beyond high school He received all six of the
academic awards in grade, and the highest academic award for
scholarship in the 8th. 9th, 10th and 11th grades at Pembroke High
School Martin was a member of the Boy Scouts of American Troop
27 in Pembroke with legendary Scoutmaster Walter Pinchbeck
Two major events that occurred in his early life led Martin to consider
the study of medicine On the occasion of the birth of one of his
siblings, he witnessed the attending doctor slap the baby and heard
the babv cry Upon asking the doctor how he had done this, the
doctor replied, "1 w orked doctor magic " The second motivation
toward a career in medicine was experiencing the death of his mother
at age II and his sense of helplessness in not being able to help her
during her battle with cancer
.Martin realized that although he was academically gifted, he stood
little chance of an opportunity to study medicine in North Carolina
Horace Paul ofthe Union Chapel community had tried to pursue such
a career, hut was turned down by all North Carolina institutions because
he "Was not 100% white " After the death of Martin's mother.
"Mr Pete." his father, knowing that Martin had potential encouraged
him to go to Detroit and enroll in Cass Technical High School to
study tool and die work so that lie could make "a good living " Martin
never enrolled at Cass Tech because the very day that he arrived
in Detroit, his Uncle Leslie Cummings quickly took him to Ypsilanti
where Althea, Martin's sister, and Lonnie Maynor, her husband,
had recently moved Martin was not allowed to live with the
Cummings family Upon completing the I Ith grade at Pembroke High
School, he moved to Michigan with the Maynors and enrolled in his
senior year at Ypsilanti High School He continued the same standard
of academic excellence that he had at Pembroke during his senior
year at Ypsilanti High School where he graduated as valedictorian
of a class of 200 students while working 40 ho.urs a week in the
Kaiser-Frazier'automobile plant As a member of the Debate Club, he
garnered the Michigan state award for speaking in a Declamation
Contest sponsored by the Ypsilanti Kiwanis Club and he also participated
in sports as a member of the cross-country team. Martin's
outstanding academic record at Ypsilanti High School helped propel
him into his lifetime desire to "practice doctor magic "
Martin's academic and intellectual abilities continued to manifest
themselves as he enrolled at the University of Michigan At the age
of 18 the other 20.000 students enrolled there did not inhibit him
After eight years at the University of Michigan, Martin received his
B S . M S and M D degrees and graduated with honors among 182
fellow medical graduates Each degree represented sacrifice, service,
and selfless dedication to excellence in academic and professional
achievement Thirty-five years after the death of Dr Governor Worth
Locklear. the first Robeson County Indian licensed to practice medicine
Martin l uther Brooks was licensed in 1956 and came home to
Robeson County to establish a medical practice where he continues
to practice doctor magic "
Martin was well received by the Indian community He quickly
opened his practice and began an affiliation with both Scotland
County Memorial I fospital and Lumberton Hospital Being the professional
that he was. he quickly sought to establish himself with the
American Medical Association The process for membership in this
professional organization required endorsements by the medical community
at the local, state and national levels Several weeks after
filing for the process and initial endorsement at the local level. Dr
Lloyd Pate, practicing in St Pauls, notified Martin that he needed to
discuss some issues with him A meeting held at the Lumberton
Hospital revealed that the medical doctors of the area - Dr Hugh
McAllister. Dr Horace Baker, Dr John Lawrence. Dr Roscoe
McMillianand Dr. Robert Crooms - had all voted against an endorsement
It was Dr Hugh McAllister who informed Martin that he had
been involved in writing the by-laws of the association and that the
by-laws had been written to keep the "niggers" out The group
advised Martin that he could become a scientific member and attend
meetings, but he could not participate in social affairs of the association
except as a guest of a member. Dr Hugh McAllister offered to
sponsor changes and to introduce a revision to the by-laws that
would lie on the tabid for one year Martin quickly advised the group
that he would have to leave the area because he would not be covered
with malpractice insurance and able to practice medicine as he
had been trained Jim Devane, current administrator ofthe Lumberton
I lospital. took a stance and adv ised the medical society that "Martin
Brooks will practice in I.uinberton Hospital " Determined not to be
outdone. Martin wrote to the State of Michigan for a copy of his
birth certificate since he had been bom there It was this record, a
Michigan birth certificate that indicated that Martin Luther Brooks
w as "w hitc" forced the local medical society to endorse his membership
and he received all other endorsements for full membership in
the American Medical SocietyMartin
admits that he was driven by achievement, intellect, and
success He perceived that he had developed a "sixth sense" in
identifying the answers to the social ills that he found upon returning
home In his own words, his first "ego trip" was "a determination
to fix' the Robeson County School System " He became an active
member of an Indian Citizens Group organized to increase Indian
presence in elective offices and to provide leadership in improving
the quality of life of Indian? in Robeson County Martin Brooks.
Herbert Oxendine. Vernon Ray Thompson. Ralph Hunt. Lester Bullard.
Adolph Dial. Curt l.oeklear. Tommie Dial, and others brought a new
social consciousness to Robeson County They attacked double
voting, they published a newspaper, they held community meetings.and
they informed the people Martin attributes his zeal to the proverb
that "Where there is no vision, the people perish " While people
did not understand the sacrifices and the contributions that these
men made to the progress of Indian people in Robeson County,
there is no question of the impact of their commitment and dedication
to the Indians of Robeson County much later in this century
Martin continued worshipping at Berea Baptist Church While
reating his family of two sons and four daughters and carrying on a
well-established medical practice. Martin continued using iiis "sixth
sense' and remained active in advocacy, representation and leadership
He was appointed to the Board of Directors of the North
Carolina Fund by Governor Terry Sanford. to the North Carolina
Board of Higher Education before this Board was consolidated into
the North Carolina University Board of Governors, to the Board of
Trustees of Pembroke State College (now the University of North
Carolina at Pembroke, serv ed as Charter President of the Pembroke
KiwanisClub, and was a Charter member of the Board of Trustees of
Lumbee Guaranty Bar.!.
Martin Luther Brooks quickly admits that he strayed from the God
of his childhood as he sought to excel, to outperform, to achiev e and
to succeed According to "his story," Martin allowed intellect to
drive what he describes as "selfishness, self-centeredness, and perceived
self-sufficiency " As a recovering alcoholic and a member in
good standing of Alcoholics Anonymous for the past 26 and '/:
years. Martin is a sought after speaker across North Carolina and the
southeastern United States He gives credit to "an all knowing and
all loving God that is now his reality, and attributes the hope and help
that he found through Alcoholic Anonymous as "helping me to recover
from myself. To manage what I could not manage by myself,
and doing together with others what I cannot do alone." TodavMartin
retains membership in Berea Baptist Church and serves on
numerous board and commissions that include membership on the
Board of Trustees of Lumbee Guaranty Bank and the only member
who has served continuously from the inception of the bank, a member
of the Board of T rustees and a member of the Steering Committee
for the new Bed Tower and Heart Center of Southeastern Regional
Medical Center, member of the Board of Directors of Renewal C enter
of the South, member of the Board of Directors and past chairman of
the North Carolina Physician's Health Committee, member of the Board
of Directors of Native American lnterfaith Ministries (The Healing
Lodge), and a member of the Board of the North Carolina Minority
Health and Health Disparities Task Force
Henry David Thoreau in Walden wrote - If a man does not keep
pace Willi his conifxinions. perhaps it is because he hears a different
drummer l.ei him step to the music which he hears, how ever measured
or far away. Martin Luther Brooks has been a drum major He
has not always been understood He has not always been appreciated
He has achieved, he has served, and he has overcome He has
touched the life of his people and his legacy and leadership will
continue to give "hope for the hopeless and help for the helpless "
This is Martin Luther Brooks' vision that he holds for his people
Welcome Home!
. - :
Welcome home to Set. Hurnon Lock tear Jr. ami the rest
of the HHC 1st 120th Infantry from your recent tour of
duty in Iraq!
I~ _ 1
Call 910-521-0992
Subscribe to the
Carolina Indian Voice
Dr. Martin /.. liraohs
Shown left to right: lleverly Collins-Hull. Director of American
Indian Mothers Inc. who presented the Order of the Medicine Wheel
Award. Dr. Martin l.uther Hrooks. recipient of the Award: and l)r.
Ruth Dial Woods, member Hoard of Directors of AIM I.
Tribal Council meets
in special session
by Wanda I sic tricar, I.T(i Public
Relations Director
L.timbee Tribal Council Speaker. David Carter called a special meeting
oft he I .limbec Tribal Council on Thursday night. January 0>. 2005
at the Tribal Office
Recent actions ol'thc Tribal Council arc a direct result of an earlier
order issued by the Tribal Supreme Court directing the Tribal Council
to take specific action which is as follows To dismiss the elections
Board members due to neglect of duties The dismissal of the Elections
Board took place at a soecial called mcetinu on December 4th.
2004
The following motions were made at the special meeting on January
6. 2004 C'ouncilwoman Pearlean Revels' motion passed to allow the
Tribal Council and Lumbce Supreme Court to deliberate over the decisions
made concerning the Elections Board ruling The purpose of
this deliberation is to review the Tribal Constitution and discuss how
to resolve the election process and determine if due process was
given to the Elections Board
A motion made by Tribal C'ouncilwoman l.ouise Mitchell to resend
all actions made by the Tribal Council at the December 20. 2004 meeting
failed
Tribal members ate welcome to attend all I rihal Council meetings
At a typical business meeting of the Council. Tribal members are
encouraged to share their questions, comments, and concerns Mowever.
the December 6. 2005 meeting was a Special called meeting and
David Carter, speaker ofthe l.umbee Tribal Council exercised his legislative
authority to deny or allow someone to speak Councilman
Carter elected to address only issues of the Elections Board at this
meeting
The official opening of the Lumbce Tribal Office of Veterans Affairs
was discussed as well as the continuation of the 2003 Audit