First Posted: 1/15/2009

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke will honor its first graduates during Lumbee Homecoming 2007.
Heritage Walk, a brick memorial honoring more than 500 of the institution's first American Indian graduates, will be unveiled July 7 at 11:30 a.m. in front of Old Main.
The public is invited to attend the event that follows the Lumbee Homecoming Parade. The university will also unveil new walkways and landscaping around Old Main.
Founded in 1887, the Croatan Normal School was created to educate American Indian school teachers. The school was called the Croatan Normal School in 1905 when D.F. Lowry became the school's first graduate.
Graduates earned certificates for completing courses until 1928 when the school was accredited to offer two-year post-high school degrees. Beginning in 1940, graduates earned four-year degrees.
In 1954, the institution was opened to all races, and in 1972, it became a constituent member of the Univer-sity of North Carolina.
&#8220I don't think there's a better time than Lumbee Home-coming to honor our first graduates,” said Chanc-ellor Allen C. Meadors. &#8220This is a time of celebration for the Lumbee people, and this is just one way the university can acknowledge the heritage that makes us a unique and distinctive regional university.”
Thousands attend Lumbee Homecoming each year during the week of July 4. This will be the 39th year that the event has been held.
For questions about Heritage Walk or giving at UNCP, please contact the Office for Advancement at (910) 521-6252 or e-mail [email protected].

Lumbee
Homecoming

UNCP will play host to a number of Lumbee Homecoming events, including the annual &#8220Strike at the Wind!” Art Auction at 6 p.m. July 2 at the James B. Chavis University Center. Tom Clark figurines will be auctioned. A North Carolinian, Clark is famous for gnomes.
Givens Performing Arts Center once again will host the Miss Lumbee pageants. Little and Junior Miss Lumbee Pageant is 6:30 p.m., Friday, and Teen Miss and Miss Lumbee Pageant is 6:30 p.m. July 3.
The University Quad will be the site of the annual AISES Powwow at noon July 7.
See you there!

– Scott Bigelow is the associate director of public relations for The University of North Carolina at Pembroke.