There was a particular graduate of UNC-Pembroke who went on to write a history of the Lumbee and is doing much more, Malinda Maynor Lowery.

Here is a quotation from her:

👥 "Simply put, Lumbees, with our own and interdependent cultural and historical tribal experience, our joy and deep-seated sense of responsibility in practicing the tenets of Christianity, and our ability to decisively adapt to changing political, social, and historical currents while maintaining our tribal cohesion belies the immutability of essentialized, race-based constructs of identity, and the staticity of communal experience."

🎬 Recently, she turned into a filmmaker to create LumbeeLand, which "offers a hard, intimate look at how the Lumbee community has suffered from the theft of property and culture, from racism and dispossession which has left entire families vulnerable to substance abuse and dependence...boasts an award-winning team of Indigenous producers and local crew made up of 80% women and non-binary filmmakers."

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https://www.malindalowery.com/

There are other sites where the activities of the Lumbee are visible beyond the university. Recall that there is no reservation here. The Lumbee have been geographically co-located with everyone else in this area.

I got a pic of the impressive Lumbee Housing Complex and a pic of some of the houses there.

And check out their annual Accomplishments report. What an example of accountability and community service!

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#NativeAmericanHeritageMonth

So the Lumbee were a key part of the growth of the "school for Indians" established in Pembroke. By the time Brown vs. Board of Education was settled, it was ready to absorb other races to newly named Pembroke State College.

🏫 In 1972, it became part of the Univ of NC system, known as UNC-Pembroke, and today maintains almost equal numbers of Native Americans, Whites and Blacks.

Note the "Founded" date on the welcome sign. The Lumbee are so proud of that history, it's in the Pembroke logo: "Town - Tribe - University".

When I arrived, there was a whole new North campus and everything was so busy, I had no place to park! But I got a pic of Lumbee Hall from my car.

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#Indigenous

#NativeAmericanHeritageMonth

Part of this trip was to go to nearby Pembroke, NC. On the sign going into the town is the phrase "Home of the Lumbee". Lumbee? There was another sign that said "Town, Tribe, University". 🤔

👥 The Lumbee are state-recognized #NativeAmericans with a unique recent history. According to archeologists, they have existed around the Lumbee (now Lumber) River, one of their cultural centers, for over 14,000 years. But this particular story begins in 1887, amid post-civil war racism.

🏫 In that year, the "Croatan Normal School" opened, funded by North Carolina, at the request of the Lumbee and other tribes. The purpose of this school was to educate #indigenous teachers so that they could in turn teach their people, who had a high illiteracy rate at the time.

💥 It was so successful it grew in size and scope. Not surprising, given that there are so many indigenous people in this area as shown in the map (areas 4, 5 and 6).

This part of my trip was to see Pembroke, Lumbee facilities, and what the school looked like now.

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