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Thank you to Governor Roy Cooper for your continued friendship and support for our Native Families across N.C. and your friendship to the Lumbee Tribe. In celebration of American Indian Heritage Month in North Carolina, Governor Cooper has issued the Proclamation for American Indian Heritage Month 2022.

November is American Indian Heritage Month. The month is a time to celebrate the rich and diverse cultures, traditions, and histories of our Native Ancestors and to acknowledge the important contributions of Native people to this great nation. Throughout the month of November, the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. will post facts about our Lumbee People and our ancestors. Click here for American Indian Heritage Month PSA https://youtu.be/dueNj_ELDHo

Thank you to everyone who came out to the Listening Session to discuss needs of our elders. The event at the Soaring Eagle Community Building in Clybourn Pines was well attended and the participants shared very important information with staff members from the state about the needs of our elders. The event was hosted by the Lumber River Area Agency on Aging, in partnership with Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina. The event is 1 of 6 listening sessions being held across N.C. to gather input from older adults and caregivers from our region. Data will be used in the development of the new four-year Aging State Plan.

Congratulations to Lumbee Artis Raven Dial-Stanley, who designed the artwork for the N.C. American Indian Heritage Month Poster. The theme for this year’s American Indian Heritage Month in N.C. is “Healing through Unity.” United Tribes of N.C. and the N.C. Commission of Indian Affairs have released the November 2022 Indian Heritage Month Artwork across N.C. North Carolina is home to eight state recognized tribes including the Coharie, Eastern Band of Cherokee, Haliwa-Saponi, Lumbee, Meherrin, Occaneechi Band of the Saponi Nation, Sappony and Waccamaw-Siouan. The state also has four urban Indian associations including the Cumberland County Association for Indian People, Guilford Native American Association, Metrolina Native American Association and the Triangle Native American Association. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau, more than 130,000 American Indians reside in North Carolina, making our state the second largest American Indian population east of the Mississippi River and the seventh largest American Indian population in the nation. To celebrate American Indian Heritage Month, the Commission is again partnering with the NC Museum of History, North Carolina’s American Indian tribes and urban Indian organization to coordinate a weekend of special events. The 27th annual American Indian Heritage Celebration is on Saturday, Nov. 19, 2022. It is free and open to the public. This year, there is a virtual Education Day on Friday and an in-person festival on Saturday. Multiple demonstrations, presentations, and performances highlight the traditional and contemporary artistic, scientific, historic, and cultural contributions of American Indians in North Carolina. The consistent theme and message of AIHC, as expressed by its Advisory Board, is visibility: Indigenous people are still here! https://www.ncmuseumofhistory.org/aihc-2022

What a beautiful way to kick off American Indian Heritage Month with the grand opening of the American Indian Heritage Center at UNC Pembroke. The American Indian Heritage Center opening reflected on the impact of the lives of Mr. Curt & Mrs. Catherine Locklear. The center is named in honor of Mr. Curt and Mrs. Catherine. They are beloved in the Pembroke community and especially known as longtime business owners of Pembroke Hardware in Pembroke. They also had strong ties to the university dating back to the 1930s. Among the earliest graduates of the university, the Locklears’ instilled in their nine children the value of education, integrity, honesty and a good work ethic. Mrs. Catherine is currently the oldest living graduate of UNC Pembroke. Mr. Curt passed away in 2011. He graduated from Pembroke State College in 1949 and Mrs. Catherine graduated in 1948. The American Indian Heritage Center is on the second floor of Old Main. The center will support American Indian students through cultural, social and academic programs. It will also offer a special place where American Indian students will feel a sense of belonging. Photo courtesy of UNC Pembroke. https://youtu.be/BgMs1EqAoaA

In honor of American Indian Heritage Month, we will be hosting a Talking Circle on November 14th at 6:30 that will be open to the public. This event will be held at the Tribal Support Services Center 204 West 3rd Street, Pembroke NC. Nationwide, the voices of Indigenous people have united to raise awareness of missing and murdered Indigenous woman and girls (MMIWG). MMIWG is an epidemic of violence against Indigenous women. Sisters, wives, mothers, and daughters are gone from their families without clear answers. For Native Americans, this adds one more layer of trauma upon existing wounds that cannot heal, resulting in widespread anger and sadness. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is pleading for justice. We will work diligently to bring awareness in hopes to END violence against our American Indian women and girls thus restoring balance.

Our thoughts and prayers are with the family of Rev. Evert Frank Locklear this week. At 103-years-old, Rev. Evert was considered our oldest living Lumbee Tribal Member. He passed on to glory and his heavenly reward on October 8, 2022. Rev. Evert will be remembered for his vibrant spirit, his love for his work (he continued to work till 95-years-old) and his willingness to share Jesus with everyone he met. Even at 103 years old, he attended the Elders Luncheon in July and he also was able to participate in the Lumbee Homecoming Parade this summer. He also could still recite his Navy service number from when he served in World War II. Rev. Evert was recognized with an Eagle feather at the Elder’s Luncheon in July and also with an Eagle feather on his 100th birthday. Rev. Evert Frank Locklear was born March 24, 1919 and he lived to be 103-years-old, the loving son of the late Ottie and Nora Locklear.He was recognized and awarded as the oldest living Lumbee in Robeson County by the Lumbee Tribe, the oldest Lumbee Veteran from World War II serving in the United States Navy and later he served as a Pastor of Community Holiness Church of Rennert. He worked as a mechanic that enjoyed auto bodywork on vehicles and 18 wheelers. Along with being self-employed, Rev. Evert worked many years with McLaurin-McArthur Motors and Southern Christian Trucking Company. He enjoyed gardening and especially loved to plant and cook his specialty collards.  Along with his parents, Rev. Evert is preceded in death by the mother of his children, Lessie Bryant Locklear; sons, Carl Locklear, Bobby Locklear, and step son, Johnny Locklear; son-in-law, RD Locklear; four daughters-in-law: Evelyn Locklear, Fran Locklear, Ramona Locklear, Ann Locklear; granddaughters, Lisa Carol Locklear, Jeanette Locklear and grandson, Wayne Locklear.Rev. Evert leaves to cherish his memory, his wife of 22 years, Helen Locklear of their home. He is survived by his seven sons and one daughter from his late wife Lessie: Adrian Locklear (Patricia) of Maxton, Alpheus Locklear of Maxton, Panuel Locklear of Maxton, Jerry Locklear (Harver) of Maxton, Charles Locklear of Maxton, Glenn Locklear (Collette) of Maxton, Kenneth Locklear (Barbara) of Laurinburg; and one daughter, Deborah Chavis (Eric) of Maxton; one son and daughter from wife Helen: Gary Locklear and daughter, Annette Bryant (Don) of Maxton; step children: Hank Locklear (Barbara), Loretta Locklear and Henry Locklear all of Maxton; forty grandchildren, 72 great grandchildren and 13 great-great grandchildren along with a host of loving family and many friends. The going home service will be held at Noon on Thursday, October 13, 2022 at the Youth For Christ Holiness Church. Burial with military honors will follow in the White Oak Church Cemetery. The visitation will be this evening, Wednesday, October 12, 2022 from 6:00 until 8:00 p.m. in the Richard Boles Funeral Service Chapel at 13640 Andrew Jackson Hwy(Hwy 74 Bus.) in Laurinburg, NC. The website for the funeral home is https://www.richardbolesfuneralservice.com/obituary/Evert-Locklear See video of Brother Evert from recent visits at

As we prepared for the Annual Fall Festival and Fish Fry, there was an extra special reason for our tribe to be thankful this year. The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission brought 11,000 fish to restock the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center Lake. This is the first time the lake has been restocked with fish since Hurricane Matthew damaged the lake in 2016. Since the lake was refilled with water in March of this year, our elders began the restocking process themselves. They would sometimes walk the fish that they catch in the spillway across the road and put them into the lake. Today the lake is restocked with 10,000 Red Breast Sun Fish and 1000 Channel Catfish. The fish came from the N.C. Fish hatchery which is utilized for public waterways across N.C. The Lumbee Tribe is thankful for the assistance of N.C. Senator Danny Britt and our legislative delegation for assisting with this as well as so many other pieces to restore our Cultural Center to a place where our community can once again fish, swim, exercise, and just enjoy the beauty of the center. The fish need time to mature to full size. The Lumbee Tribe will advertise when fishing is available once again at the lake.

The Lumber River Area Agency on Aging, in partnership with Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, is hosting 1 of 6 listening sessions in the state to gather input from older adults and caregivers from our region. Data will be used in the development of the new four-year Aging State Plan. The event is November 1 at 10 am at the Soaring Eagle Community Building.

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina's Mortgage Pandemic Relief Program (MPRP) will pause accepting new applications for an administrative work week from October 31, till November 4, 2022. The office will resume accepting new applications on Monday, November 7, 2022

Our thoughts are with the family of former Tribal Councilwoman Mrs. Helen Hunt Locklear. We send our deepest condolences to her family, friends and community. Mrs. Helen passed on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. She served two terms on the Lumbee Tribal Council. Mrs. Helen was a woman of her word and fought tirelessly to improve the lives of Lumbee Tribal members during her tenure. Her tenacity was felt when she spoke about her community and her people. Mrs. Helen Hunt Locklear, 82, of 500 Goins Road, Pembroke, went to be with her Lord and Savior on Wednesday, October 19, 2022. Mrs. Locklear, a devoted wife, mother, grandmother, and Christian was born November 7, 1939, to the late Cleveland S. Hunt and Mary Lee Hunt. She is preceded in death by her beloved husband Mr. Sanford Locklear, her parents, and two brothers, Ervin Hunt and William Leslie Hunt. Mrs. Locklear’s life revolved around serving the Lord, her Lumbee People, and caring for her family. She was involved in community and tribal issues. She fiercely served the Lumbee People by serving two terms as Tribal Councilwoman for District 4. Mrs. Helen also had a very special love for children and education. She was employed by the Center for Community Action for over 20 years, where she served as the leader of the Learning Together Program and Project Phoenix. She was a school bus driver for Prospect school. She was a member of the Rock of Ages Baptist Church and a member of the Philadelphus Cluster Group. She is survived by one daughter, Teresa (Ronald); five sons, Michael (Sharon), Jerry (Rena), Sanford Jr., David, and Jonathan (Alisha), all of Pembroke; three brothers, Willie F. Hunt, Cardale Hunt of Red Springs, and Cleveland “Pap” H. Hunt, of Pembroke; five sisters, Cletis Hunt, Marie Locklear, Brenda H. Locklear and Glenda Lowery, all of Pembroke and Linda Locklear of Red Springs; 9 grandchildren; 14 great-grandchildren. VISITATION Saturday, October 22, 2022 - 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM Rock of Ages Baptist Church FUNERAL SERVICE Sunday, October 23, 2022 - 3:00 PM Rock of Ages Baptist Church Red Springs, NC 28377

On Friday, the Lumbee Tribe of N.C. welcomed Pam Brewington Cashwell, Secretary of the N.C. Department of Administration, Reid Wilson, Secretary of the N. C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources and several members of the N. C. Department of Natural and Cultural Resources for a tour of Lumbee Communities, Historic Maxton Pond, the Lumbee Tribe Cultural Center and several existing projects. Secretary Cashwell, Secretary Wilson, Greg Richardson (NC Commission of Indian Affairs) and Kerry Bird (N.C. Indian Heritage Commission) toured, but also had a conversation with Tribal Chairman Lowery and Tribal Administration about some needs of the Lumbee tribe and possible areas of collaboration. Thank you to Councilwoman Wendy Moore, who shared knowledge with the group at Maxton Pond and along the tour.