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Congratularions to the 2023 Lumbee Tribal Scholarship Recipients. 185 scholarship winners were recognized on Thursday night at the Scholarship Ceremony at the Pembroke Boys & Girls Club. The Lumbee Tribe of N.C. distributed more than $150,000 in scholarships to Lumbee high school and college students. The scholarships included two Kernice Lee Locklear Scholarships, two Dr. Ruth Dial Woods Scholarships and two Mrs. Agnes Chavis Scholarships. These scholarship recipients are attending 2-year and 4-year colleges around the southeast, but also several colleges around the nation. The awards ranged from $500 to $1,500. Congratulations to the students on their hard work and the parents for encouraging them. The high school recipients are: Emerson Gist, Ashtyn Thomas, Grace Oxendine, Kaylee Chavis, Andrew Rice, Kylie Cummings, Lahna Sampson, Kiara Locklear, Lauren Locklear, Kailey Locklear, Raven Cummings, Aiyana Strickland, Cayden Hammonds, Georgia Locklear, Joshua Lowery, Savannah Saunders, Jamari Young, Cameron Gagnon, Alaina Goins, Reagan Locklear, Zachery Olive, Landon Shelley, Julianna Bell, Dennis Lowery II, Amyra Dial, Madelyn Wilkins, Maycee Bullard, Nakiyak Hunt, Aydan Bullard, Ethan Johnson, Marcus Lowry, Natalie Evington, Myla Locklear, Natalie Maynor, Jenna Felts, Madison Sampson, Carmella Locklear, Hannah Locklear, Jerald Brown, Benjamin Brewington, Ava Jacobs, Victoria Locklear, Andon Revels, Destiny Locklear, Kinsey Chavis, Nathanael Jones, Brianna Hunt, Tessa Morgan, Madison Hunt, Julius Hunt, Kayleigh Chavis, Eli McCoy, Ashlin Todd, Abigail Gladden, Kassie Harris, Kendall Robinson, Gabriel Scott, Madison Chavis, Lakayla Chavis, Joseph Blake, Katerina Lesane, Jaylen Bowen, Alyssa Davis, Jayda Smith, Jacob Hammonds, Kameron Graham, Dadrian Ward, Jadyn Chavis, Malachi Gales, Christian Hunt, Harmony Richardson, Emma Brewington, Halie Scott, Serjio Sosa, Lydia McNeill, Jacob Yelton, Tangela Chavis, Autum Davis, Kenneth Brooks, William Brooks, Samuel Hunt, Timothy Brewington, Kachina Baldwin, Alarria Chavis and Abel Messer. The college recipients are: Morgan Locklear, Meghan Jones, August Smith, Zachary Scott, Jeremy Hunt, Chloe Locklear, Jaylen Locklear, Lydia Mansfield. Jadyn Locklear, Jada Allen, Jalyn Herndon, Katelyn Harris, Kailee Sampson, Frederick Locklear, Kinsley Locklear, Nola Graham, Khalie Jones, Caden Locklear, Destiny Locklear, Dylan Hammonds, Seth Lowery, William Jacobs Jr., William Smith, Mariah Graham, Morgan Locklear, Alena Thomas, Marijo Wilkes, Madison Brewer, Madison Deese, Caitlin Smith, Kiley Oxendine, Shania Lewis, Alyssa Chavis-Wanson, Anna Lowry, Layla Locklear, Brooklyn Oxendine, Jaelyn Locklear, Riley Edwards, Ashton Sumpter, Natalie Locklear, Tiana Jacobs, Morgan Jones, Kendal Woodell, Latasha Rice, Thristan Clark, Aliyah Locklear, Emily Deese, Myra Berumen ,Philip Revels, Catherine Oxendine, Kaitlynn Chavis, Nahava Clark-Chavis, Logan Lowery, Benjamin Adams, Megan Locklear, Caris Lynch, Garrett Gerber, Alyssa Brooks, Tokobe Hunt, Cheyenne Oxendine, Halie Allen, Nikki Clark, Emily Goins, Amber Holmes, Jaden Jacobs, Joshua Bell, Erik Lowery, Alona Locklear, Shaunccley Lowery, Cheyenne Locklear, Brianna Graham, Jada Locklear, Bradlee Logan, Nikayia Chavis, Tristian Sumpter, Elayna Chavis, Sarah Lowry, Syniah Lancaster, Chasity Locklear, Asa Locklear, Dylan Deese, Celine Locklear, Jamie Oxendine, Mahala Carter, Paul Oxendine, Camden Williams, Kendrick Oxendine, Erika Locklear, Michaela Gales, Kaleb Lowery, Bayli Locklear, Kristen Butler, Katherine Park, Ethan Wilkins, Rebecca Zingarelli, Haley Lowery, Justus Brewington, Emme Jolicoeur, Cameron Graham and Jordan McNeill.

Dear Lumbee People, In May, we joined our Lumbee Citizens in the Rowland (District 1) community to celebrate the grand opening of the South Robeson Court Administrative building at Pine Needle Senior Village. This building will serve as a gathering place for the Elder Housing Community currently in development. Once completed, Pine Needle Senior Village will have 22 homes for elders to live in a safe and affordable community. This site has been in the planning stages for a long time and I am proud to have worked with Councilman Billy “Dollar Bill” Oxendine and our tribal staff to see the community brought to life. On May 6th, the Lumbee Tribe, along with our partners, honored our Missing and Murdered Indigenous People by participating in the annual MMIW March and rally. As Lumbee people, we have so many loved ones who have been murdered or gone missing over the years. Without closure, those wounds never heal. I am grateful to the many family members who came out and shared about their loved ones and continue to carry their memories everywhere they go. The lives of our Lumbee people are priceless; we must be our brothers and sisters’ keepers. Let us remember those that we have lost and continue to work to protect others from a similar fate. One of the key components of our Tribal Support Services is the Peer Support program. Our Peer Support program is designed to help those who are struggling with substance abuse and addiction. In May, we held a “Night of Hope” event which highlighted and celebrated the efforts of eight individuals who are working with our Peer Support staff. At this touching event, we heard from individuals who experienced first-hand the impact of addiction on themselves and family. If you or a loved one would like to know more about our Peer Support Program, please call our staff at 910-522-5055. Please remember these eight individuals in prayer as they move forward each day on their recovery journey. Thank you for allowing me to be your Chairman. I love you all, John L. Lowery Chairman

You are invited to the District 14 Community Meeting on Thursday, August 24 2023 at 6:00 pm at the First Nation Boys & Girls Club. The event is hosted by Councilman Homer Fields. The event will offer information about tribal services, community information. Dinner will be served.

Today the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. participated in an Acknowledgement Gathering at Fort Fisher in Wilmington along with other descendants, our sister tribes and other groups that were forced to work at the fort during the Civil War. The event was hosted by Michelle Lanier, Director, of the N.C. Division of State Historic Sites. The gathering was a time of reflection of the contributions of our ancestors before the NC Department of Natural & Cultural Resources began an archeological excavation of an air strip in the area of the original fort. The project is part of a new $25 million visitors center, which is expected to be completed by next summer and will replace the old visitors center which was built in 1965. The new Fort Fisher Visitors center will triple the size of the center. The archeological dig is expected to take two weeks.

The Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center is closed today, Saturday, July 22, 2023 and will reopen on Sunday, July 23, 2023.

During the Lumbee Tribe’s 2023 State of the Tribe Address Chairman John L. Lowery discussed the expanded tribal budget which will be more than $38 million dollars, community projects for the coming year and many more exciting plans for the Lumbee People. Here is the full video from the State of the Tribe Address.

Join us for the 2023 Lumbee Powwow coming September 29, 30 and October 1st at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center. We have an awesome head staff including two of the best drum groups in the nation. Ticket pre-sales will begin next week. https://www.lumbeetribe.com/fallpowwow

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina sends our deepest condolences to the family of Mr. Dalton Lynch. Mr. Dalton was a member of the Haliwa-Saponi Tribe. He passed last week and will be laid to rest today. Mr.Dalton was a friend to everyone he met. We honor his memory and his contributions to all American Indians throughout North Carolina and across the nation. Please keep his family, friends and the Haliwa Saponi Tribe in your prayers.

For two days, Lumbee high school students had the opportunity to tour the campuses of The University of North Carolina at Greensboro (UNCG), and Appalachian State University (App State) with Project IndigeCHOICE. The students were able to not only tour the campus of UNCG and App State, but also participated in sessions focusing on campus life, navigating college, admissions, financial aid, and more. After touring and attending both campuses’ sessions, students returned home with an increased knowledge of the campuses within the UNC system and what opportunities are available for them at these schools.

The Lumbee Tribe of N.C. recently hosted a delegation of officers from the German Navy. The team spent two days experiencing and learning about the rich tribal history and culture of the Lumbee people. The officers are stationed in Washington, D.C., and work in tandem with Naval Sea Systems Command (NAVSEA). The connection with the Lumbee people followed a meeting with Lumbee tribal member and US Naval Command Information Officer Robert Deese, who organized a presentation for National Native American Heritage Month. After Kevin Melvin (Lumbee Tribal Historic Preservation Officer) presented additional information to the team, the German Navy delegates planned a visit the home of our Lumbee people. The visit started with dinner at Fullers BBQ and a gift exchange. The officers and their families were gifted traditional baskets created by Ms. Cindy Locklear. The baskets were filled with prayer ties created by Melvin and his family. The families of the officers presented Melvin with a goodie basket filled with German sweets and German Navy items. During their stay, the German officers and their families visited Town Creek Indian Mound, near Mt. Gilead, North Carolina. At this historical site, the delegates were able to learn about the life and social structures of American Indians in this area from hundreds of years ago, which existed well before pre-colonial history. Later that afternoon, the delegates spent the afternoon canoeing down the Lumbee River. The tour started at the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center. As an integral part of the identity of the Lumbee Tribe, exploring the Lumbee River gave the visitors an insight into the river our people are strongly culturally intertwined with and which has impacted us both past and present.

Tonight, the Lumbee Tribal Council welcomed the newly crowned Lumbee Ambassadors to the July Business Meeting. Little Miss Lumbee, Moriah Faith Jones; Junior Miss Lumbee, Riley Madison Dial; Miss Lumbee, Ashtyn Thomas and Senior Ms. Lumbee Edith Jones shared information about themselves as well as welcomed the Tribal council to the upcoming Coronation ball. Tonight Leah Lowery also shared her presentation from the National Young Scholars Program. Carolyn Locklear invited the council and community to cheer on their gospel group as they represent the Lumbee People at Native Outreach. Also, Kerry Bird and Quinn Godwin presented about the exciting things which are happening with the new North Carolina American Indian Heritage Commission. They discussed specific projects such as the up and coming placement of historical markers in tribal communities across the state, recognition of historically significant Native schools across the state and projects that are spotlighting the long history of our Native ancestors and relatives in North Carolina. Also, tonight Corbin Eddings presented a detailed recap of the 2023 Unity Conference to the Lumbee Tribal Council.