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On April 28, 2025, the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina will honor all Lumbee High School and College Students, who are potential 2025 graduates in the Lumbee Cords of Honor Ceremony. Applications are now being accepted for graduates to apply. These cords represent this important milestone in the life of our Lumbee Students. The cords comprise the colors of the Lumbee Tribal Seal and the Medicine Wheel. This symbolism represents the four directions, four seasons, as well as our sacred path in life. The application must be fully completed, signed by a school counselor or college advisor, and returned by April 11 , 2025 by 5:00 pm to the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Please email or hand deliver your application to the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Housing Complex at 6984 NC Hwy 711 West in Pembroke. (Attn: Cords of Honor) Or Email to : cordsofhonor@lumbeetribe.com . Students must be actively enrolled. Enrollment Office information - 910.668.6099 or 910.521.7861 or email the Enrollment office at enrollment@lumbeetribe.com **Please note: Students that graduate(d) in Fall 2024, Spring 2025, and Fall 2025 may apply for a Cord of Honor. Due to the limited seating available, this will be a ticketed event and graduates MUST RSVP to attend. Each graduate may bring (2) two guests and show their tickets at the door to be scanned. As your life moves into future directions, we wish you success and honor your accomplishments. Education is a core value of the Lumbee People. We know it is our path to success. You crossed this milestone. We want to celebrate your journey.

The Lumbee Tribe of N.C. Housing Complex and all Tribal offices will be closed on Monday, February 17, 2025 in observance of the President's Day Holiday.

We look forward to see you tomorrow, Wednesday, February 12, at UNC Pembroke’s Tribe Night. The game is in collaboration with the Lumbee Tribe of NC. Help us cheer on the Women’s team at 5 pm and the Men’s team at 7 pm as they face Chowan. Kids are FREE with a paying adult ($10 or $5 with a Tribal card). Get ready for an electric atmosphere as we celebrate culture & competition!

We are all excited for UNC Pembroke's Tribe night, which is in collaboration with the Lumbee Tribe. We hope to see you at the game on Wednesday at 5pm (Women's basketball) and 7 pm (Men's basketball). Today, Feb. 10, 2025, our Lumbee tribal staff and Culture team had an opportunity to talk with the women and men's teams. It was a great time to fellowship and share about Lumbee culture through a round dance and encouraging pep talk!

Letter from Lumbee Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery and Tribal Council Speaker Alex Baker about ongoing propaganda and media mis-information against the Lumbee People. Dear Tribal Citizens, We realize that a number of propaganda articles have been put out against the Lumbee People. This is part of the Eastern Band of Cherokee’s agenda to discredit us as Native people. We know the (EBCI) are paying public relations firms a lot of money to create so-called or fake news reports, research articles and studies with a single purpose to discredit and dishonor the Lumbee Tribe. We deal with this false information on a daily basis. It is deliberately intended to deceive the public. Their willingness to attack and disparage us has no boundaries. It is sickening how this tribe continues to work daily to refute and deny our Native ancestors and overall ancestry. We will continue to fight against the multi-million dollar propaganda machine of the Eastern Band of Cherokee Indians. One of the best ways to combat this smear campaign is to not share misinformation and unethical links about our people on the Internet. We thank our tribal community and our friends for your continued support during this difficult time for our people. Sincerely, John L. Lowery Alex Baker Tribal Chairman Speaker, Lumbee Tribal Council

Chairman Lowery's Monthly report for January 2025 Dear Lumbee People, The new year started off with the inauguration of seven tribal council members, five returning, two new, and myself to new terms. I was fortunate enough to run unopposed, allowing me to once again serve you with a new 3 year term as Chairman of our great Tribal Nation. Being Chairman is an opportunity of a lifetime and I have worked to give you my very best the past 3 years.We still have a lot to accomplish, but with the support of the tribal council, work from my amazing staff, and encouragement from our tribal citizens, we will continue down the path of progress and prosperity for future generations. During my second inaugural address, I highlighted the “Focus 2035” theme. This initiative targets to look ten years down the road and begin planning for where our tribe will be by 2035. Some of the first plans include; a new Boys & Girls Club in Scotland County, building new communities for home-ownership, expanding our Lumbee Holdings to focus on economic development beyond federal contracting and to truly diversify our business portfolio. I only have 3 years left as Chairman, but my duty is to make sure the next person already has a strong plan for moving forward when they step into this position. I am excited about our future as a tribe and I am looking forward to my second term. On President’s Trump third full day in office, he signed an executive memo stating that it is now the official policy of the United States Government to make our full federal recognition a reality. President Trump’s unprecedented memo provides our congressional representatives with direct support from the White House to have the Lumbee Fairness Act passed and sent to his desk. Every day, I am working on this issue, along with our friends and allies, and I will continue to do so until the journey is complete. January 18th marked the 67th anniversary of the Lumbee pushing out the KKK during the Battle of Hayes Pond. Our Lumbee people stood firm on that cold January night and made sure that the racist KKK felt the power and might of our people. As Native people, we are very protective of our territory and our overall homeland and we will never let an outside force like the KKK terrorize us or make us feel inferior. Thank you to our Lumbee Warriors! Thank you all for allowing me the opportunity to serve the Great Lumbee Nation. I love each of you very much.

February 4, 2025 marked ten years since 18-year-old American Indian Sara Graham’s disappearance. Robeson County Sheriff Burnis Wilkins and his team, along with the FBI and Lumbee Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery, held a news conference announcing the updated reward for any information leading to the public’s assistance in locating Graham. The reward is now $10,000. Wilkins said they are handling Graham's disappearance as a homicide. The FBI released an audio recording about the case that stated “everything we’ve learned about Sara tells us that she did not take off on her own. We believe that someone very close to her isn’t telling us everything they know. We have covered a lot of evidence. But, we still need that missing piece to bring Sara home now is the time to come forward and help." “The disappearance of Sara, along with numerous Native females, has become a nationwide pandemic and we are pleased that Sheriff Wilkins, his staff, and the FBI continue to investigate this case. It is my hope that Sara will receive the justice and peace that she so rightly deserves. Someone knows what happened to Sara and it is time to come forward and speak the truth,” said Chairman Lowery. Help find Sara! If you have any information in Sara's disappearance, you're asked to contact the Robeson County Sheriff’s Office at 910-671-3100 or the FBI’s Charlotte Field Office at 704-672-6100. The Lumbee Tribe of NC and Tribal Council have partnered together to create an awareness billboard to highlight Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women/People (MMIW/P)--like Sara Nicole Graham-- and its importance. Its mission is to spread awareness of Indigenous women/people that have been murdered or have gone missing across the United States. Along with acknowledging murdered and missing Indigenous women/people, there is a push to provide support to the families of the victims and encourage tribal communities to come together to take a stand in support of protecting our women. This billboard hopes to spread the message and purpose of MMIW/P within the Lumbee tribe and local community. For more information, please visit our website https://www.lumbeetribe.com/mmip .

Join us for Tribe Night, hosted by UNC Pembroke in collaboration with the Lumbee Tribe of NC, next Wednesday, February 12, 2025, as the Braves take on Chowan at 5 & 7 PM!  Admission:      -FREE for kids      -Adults: $10 or $5 with a valid Tribal card Don’t miss this special night celebrating community, culture, and Braves basketball!

We want to take time to recognize February 2nd as a Lumbee Holiday, as established by the Lumbee Tribal Council. Nearly a quarter of a millennium ago, the Cheraw ancestors of our present-day people settled on the banks of the Lumbee River, seeking refuge to escape colonial encroachment. Over those years our people were forced to assimilate into colonial ways of economics, education, worship, and so much more. During this time period, our people, like many of the other Tribes of North Carolina, have been inappropriately named and renamed by state authorities. This constant renaming by the State of N.C. ended on February 2, 1952 when our people asserted our sovereign rights with 2,169 tribal citizens voting to adopt the traditional ancestral name of the Lumbee River as the official name of our Tribe. We honor and say thank you to our ancestors for showing resiliency and exercising the sovereignty of our people during a time of great oppression. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina stands as a beacon of Native prosperity and progress as we demonstrate careers and leadership as doctors, lawyers, teachers, nurses, police, ministers, executives, engineers, social workers, elected officials, military leaders, CEOs, financers, and other essential leaders. In words of the late Lumbee musician Willie French Lowery, “I'm proud to be a Lumbee Indian, Yes I am.”

We look forward to seeing you tonight at the Monday evening Culture Class. Reminder, the class will be held at the Lumbee Lodge Community Building at 2715 Philadelphus Rd, Pembroke, NC 28372.

President Trump Signs Memorandum to Establish the Process for Full Federal Recognition of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina Pembroke, NC (January 23, 2025) – The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is thrilled to learn that President Donald J. Trump signed a memorandum that establishes the United States of America's support for the Tribe’s full federal recognition. The Tribal Administration expresses deep appreciation to President Trump as he moves forward with this executive action. Tribal Chairman John L. Lowery says this action is a direct follow through of the campaign promises made by the President and shows his dedication to the Lumbee people. President Trump is the first President to sign such a memorandum declaring full federal recognition for the Lumbee Tribe as official policy of the U.S. government and to lay the groundwork for what the Lumbee have been fighting toward for more than 100 years. See the attached full press release and the memorandum is available at https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/federal-recognition-of-the-lumbee-tribe-of-north-carolina/

Registration is still available for the Gathering of Native Americans (GONA) Conference on Thursday, January 30, Friday, January 31, and Saturday, February 1, 2025. The 3-day GONA Conference provides Lumbee Communities with the opportunity to discuss substance abuse and the issue surrounding it. It also aims to assist with the journey to heal and transform while providing a road map to reestablish a safe, supportive, and nurturing community to thrive in. This free event is open to the public. The conference will also include storytelling, arts & crafts, giveaways, food, and much more. GONA will be on January 30 - 31 from 11:30 am - 7 pm and February 1, 2025 from 10 am - 3 pm. To register, please scan the QR code or visit https://www.eventbrite.com/e/1119244072149?aff=oddtdtcreator