LUMBERTON — The Lumbee Tribe has served as a boundless source of inspiration for Malinda Maynor Lowery, a Peabody-winning historian from Pembroke.
She is one of four authors headlining the fifth annual Book ‘Em convention at Robeson Community College. The event, which raises money for groups that promote literacy in the area, will run from 9:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on Feb. 27
“She is a remarkable scholar,” said James Bass, director of Student Success and Student Leadership at the college. “I think she understands the challenges of our community and I also think her appearance at the event is long overdue.”
Lowery is the author of “Lumbee Indians in the Jim Crow South,” an acclaimed cultural study published in 2010 by the University of North Carolina. She has also directed several documentaries about the tribe, including “Sounds of Faith,” which premiered in 1997 at the Sundance Film Festival, and “Real Indian,” which in 1998 won the award for Best Documentary Short at the South by Southwest Festival in Austin, Texas.
As a member of the tribe, Lowery has been active in events like “Strike at the Wind!,” a long-running outdoor drama about Lumbee folk hero Henry Berry Lowrie. She was married to the late Willie French Lowery, a Lumbee musician who penned the music for “Strike at the Wind!”
Now living in Durham, Lowery has taught American Indian history at Harvard University, the University of North Carolina, North Carolina State University, Duke University and San Francisco State University.
“Her work has taken her away, but she returns to contribute to the history and documentation of American Indian heritage in our area,” Bass said. “She will connect with our local attendees, and I believe that visitors from other states and parts of North Carolina will appreciate the work she has done. In many ways, she is a perfect headliner for the event, and I think a lot of attendees will agree.”
Book ‘Em is the brainchild of Patricia Terrell, a Lumberton author who has written several novels under the pen name p.m. terrell. She co-founded the annual convention to boost awareness of illiteracy and the effect it can have on crime rates, hence the slogan: “Buy a book, stop a crook.”
The convention has so far raised $34,200 for organizations that promote literacy in Robeson County. Money is raised through the authors, who agree to donate a portion of what they make off any books sold during the day.
Another writer returning to Robeson County for this year’s event is Shelby Stephenson, the state’s poet laureate. The former educator taught poetry and creative writing for 33 years at The University of North Carolina at Pembroke and ran the school’s annual literary journal.
He is a winner of the 2001 North Carolina Award in Literature, Bellday Poetry Prize, Oscar Arnold Young Award, Zoe Kincaid-Brockman Award, Brockman-Campbell Award, Bright Hill Press Chapbook Prize and the Playwright’s Fund of North Carolina Chapbook Prize.
Curtis Aikens, co-founder of The Food Network and a celebrity chef, will also make an appearance. He has cooked for clients at the United Nations Cafeteria and the U.S. Open Tennis Tournament, and was selected by first lady Michelle Obama to represent the state of Georgia for her Kids & Chefs program.
On The Food Network, Aikens hosted cooking shows such as “Pick of the Day,” “From My Garden,” “Meals Without Meat,” and “Food in a Flash.”
Rounding out this year’s batch of headliners is Vik Rubenfeld, creator of the 1990s television show “Early Edition.” According to a press release, 75 other authors will be selling and signing books at Robeson Community College. To see the full lineup, visit bookemnc.org.
