I vividly remember the sweaty faces of the tobacco croppers. The men would begin croppin' as soon as the sun provided that first hint of morning. To wait any longer would have made the job impossible as the Carolina Sun takes no prisoners, only victims...

-JoJo Brooks Shifflett

JoJos beautiful nieces, the sweet Aribella, the unpredictable Delani and the oldest and most reserved, Megan.

They made their tobacco products with " the best and most highly flavored leaf " in North Carolina. I love that their ad states that! So Way Back When...leading tobacco companies identified North Carolina tobacco as the best and highly flavored leaves of "tobacca". That's all for now, jojo brooks shifflett.

To see the words I refer too, look under the bold headline, Sitting Bull.

WHERE WAS THE LUMBEE?

This 1934 photograph shows Indian leaders watching as the first American Indian Constitution was signed. It provided the framework for the very first tribe to be federally recognized under the Indian Reorganization Act (IRA). 

The Indians of Robeson County had a chance to obtain recognition in this very same way. Yes, 22 Indians in Robeson County were granted federal recognition under the IRA in 1936 and had the very same legal status as every Indian standing in that photo...the right to organize as a federally recognized tribe using the new Indian Reorganization Act. 

Sadly, that never happened as most of our 22 Indians did not even receive notice they had been granted such legal status as Indians in 1934 until the early 1970's. Yes my fellow Lumbee, it took over 35 years for our people to receive notice of their rights under the 1934 Indian Reorganization Act. By then only 8 of the 22 were living. 

Too much happened to explain here except to say, one of those 22 individuals should have been standing in this very picture representing the Indians of Robeson County now proudly known as THE LUMBEE.

AND THE BEAT GOES ON...

YES THE BEAT GOES ON...

By JoJo Brooks Shifflett