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SAMUEL PROCTOR ORAL HISTORY PROGRAM at
the University of Florida
LUM 43 ABCD
October 24, 1972
Brenda Brooks
Explain hearings
SAW
B: October 24, 1972. This is Brenda Brooks in my home, in Pembroke, North Carolina.
I would like to offer a little explanation to some of the tapes that I have sent
and will be sending, concerning the Civil Rights hearings held September 29 and
30, 1972, in Robeson County, concerning the political participation in the economic
situation of the Lumbee Indians in this county. As many of the Indians groups in
the eastern United States, we are somewhat isolated and have had no direct com-
munication with several agencies, as far as getting benefits that are afforded
recognized reservation Indians. And one particular tape that I am sending to you,
I feel deserves a little more explanation. This tape is concerning the ECIO
group. The number of that tape is number 5 Side 1. I feel a very great respon-
sibility, as far as this group of Indians in Robeson County is concerned. You may
detect a unique dialect in the testimony of some of these speakers. I think it is
important to send you this tape because it shows you some of the real gut feelings
that discrimination and poverty of the poor Lumbee Indians in Robeson County. The
leaders of the ECIO are very sincere workers. Their main issue is to get a
government recognized name, so that they will be able to get benefits that are
afforded Indians through the Bureau of Indian Affairs, because we, as Lumbee
Indians, in Robeson County, have been non-recognized Indians by the Federal
Government. We have been denied many educational, technical, vocational and
welfare benefits that have been afforded Indians on reservations. And I feel
that we who have had the privilege of getting some education, live in the more
centralized areas, near this town in Robeson County. The group which the ECIO
is representative of, are more of a grassroots people. We have neglected making
them feel a part of our total Indian Community in Robeson County, therefore, I
as well as many others, assume the responsibility for much ignorance and unaware-
ness that exists among our brothers who are now driving to get recognized as
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Tuscarora Indians of Robeson County. Since we're scattered all over the area,
in Robeson County, one of the strategies that I feel could be used by the polit-
ical of the county, has been to block communications between the
various groups of Indians. And this is only my opinion, but I think, perhaps,
somewhere deep-rooted in the efforts of the ECIO, is some white maneuvering to
cause friction between groups of Indians within the county. The ECIO is as much
a part of the total Indian community of Robeson County, as I am. In the last
year, the effort, now, is prevelant, to get a federally recognized name,
Tuscarora, has been under the leadership of sincere, very fine men. Yet, they
are dealing with a small group that I feel could be led in a much more construc-
tive route than the route that they are taking, exerting effort over a name.
I have worked much among these poor Indian people, in a recent registration
drive. Often, I've visited homes in the area, in which many of the families from
the ECIO live. I often found 5 or 6 members, at one house, standing around one
person, reading a newspaper. They lack education. They lack it, to such an
extent, that they can not go to the factory, fill out an application, and get a
job. Many of the families who previously depended totally upon farming, as an
income, have nothing to turn to, now. Industry has taken many, many Indians in
Robeson County from cotton fields, where they worked, and often brought in 3 and
4 dollars a day, to factories where they are making a $1.60 an hour. Though this
is small, it is a great improvement over standing under a tobacco barn, from 6:30
in the morning until 5:00 and 6:00 in the afternoon, and going home with 3 or
4 dollars. Because the little farmer has seen his days, many of the Indians in
Robeson County suffer. He qualifies for assistance for the poor, because he's
poor, not becuase he's an Indian. He has difficulty getting these services,
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because when he applies for welfare assistance, he has to confront someone who
doesn't know the feeling of not having money to buy food, not having adequate
housing, not having proper clothing. For example, 80% of the recipients of our
social services is Black and Indian. Whereas, 20% of the staff of social ser-
vices, is Black and Indian. Of 71 persons employed and the county social services
department, there are 12 Blacks, 50 Whites and 9 Indians.
It's just not comfortable to go and confront someone of a different race,
who doesn't know this feeling of discrimination, and the total meaning of
discrimination. Often, we, as Indians, ignore agencies just because we don't
want to confront someone and receive harassment or derogatory attitudes, there-
fore we have many cold, hungry, inadequately housed Indians in Robeson County.
And I feel that this group, the ECIO, Eastern Carolina Indian Organization, is
the proper name, is a prime example of what this poverty and neglect has done
for many, many Indians in Robeson County. Because of the lack of education,
many of the situations have been perpetual for years and years. Often, I went
to homes, during my registration drive, and I found small children at home, who
should have been in school. When I questioned them as to why, some said it was
too cold. It isn't easy to get up and hit a cold floor, that you can look
through and see the dirt below you, or you can look up and see the sky through the
ceiling. It takes more than just encouragement to leave this kind of environment,
and go into the Public School System which also discriminates. Since farming has
declined, it has created severe problems for many of the poor in our county. For
example, with the population of our county being 1/3 Indian, some of these figures
may help you understand how farming has affected the economy of the poor Lumbee
Indian, in Robeson County. In 1960, the county per capital income was six-seventy.
This placed the county among the nations 20 poorest counties. Over 50% Of the
houses are below standard, in Robeson County. For adults, 25 years, the medium
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of schooling was about 7.9 grade. Until very recently, we had the county's school
system with the triple segregational schools, and the non-productive educational
system, even further hindered the Lumbee Indians from making a sizable progress
in this county. We did have many individuals who achieved success, however, most
of the Lumbee Indians have not attained nearly the potential that they possess.
May I say, at this time, if some of the tapes are not clear and I am sure, much
of the hearing has been omitted.....I became very involved in the hearing pro-
cess because I was a committee member. And, often, I did not flip my tape in time,
did not replace filled tapes with new ones. Therefore, much material may be
missing. However, I do intend to send a transcript of the entire hearing to you.
According to communications from the national commission on civil rights, I shall
be receiving my personal transcript, the first of January. I will try, immediately,
therefore, to forward an entire copy of the hearing, to you, if there is no
problem with getting such a transcript from the committee. By this, I mean if
there is no objection to my sending a copy of the hearing to someone outside of
the committee. I know that every member of the committee, will get a copy, how-
ever, I am not aware of the legalities involved in testing a copy to someone else.
I will clear this with my regional director and send a copy, if it is possible.
May I also suggest that your social studies department subscribe for the
Carolina Indian Voice, a monthly newspaper, now being published for the Indians
of North Carolina and their friends. It is published in Pembroke, North Carolina,
by the Lumbee Publishing Company, whose president is Brenda Brooks, myself. And
we are going to expand the four page journal to a six page full size newspaper,
beginning Jan. 1. It will be on subscription, and the mailing address for a
subscription is:
P.O. Box 1075
Pembroke, North Carolina.
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A one year subscription will cost $5.00 plus 20( tax, or to buy a 2-year subscrip-
tion, now, you may get it for$8.00 plus 32C tax. I think it would be very in-
formative to have this document as a part of your Oral History of the Lumbee
Indians of Robeson County.
I know this tape has been probably somewhat rambling to the typist, but I
felt I should explain some of my tapes, and also, why I have not been more
actively involved in interviews. As all over the nation, we are in quite a
political era, right now,.andaespecially in North Carolina, and with the Lumbee
Indian becoming more, much more actively involved in the political process,
I feel a great responsibility in just making that an issue available for my fellow
Lumbee Indians, who here to for have been unaware. I do hope to forward many
tapes, through. I have appointments with many very interesting interviewees,
that look very promising, as far as back history and current happenings of the
Lumbee Indians. Please accept my apologies for some of the beginning of the
tapes. I was unaware that the first few inches of the tape is not sensitive and
Mr. Barton informed me, and I'm sorry if some of the interview, was omitted on
some of the tapes. I will fill in, to the best of my knowledge, any omission,
when I receive your transcribed copy of the tapes. I shall forward to you, with
this tape, an October issue of the Carolina Indian Voice. And on the back, you
will find a subscription application, if you are interested in subscribing.
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