PEMBROKE — It’s been almost 30 years since Lumbee civil rights activist Julian Pierce was murdered, but he was remembered and honored on Friday during an event that is expected to raise $60,000 once all the money is counted to help students get educated and continue his work.
About 250 people attended the fifth annual Julian T. Pierce Memorial Art Dinner at the Student Center Annex of The University of North at Pembroke on Friday, during which art work was auctioned to raise money to fund scholarships at the university, Robeson Community College at North Carolina Central’s School of Law.
UNCP’s scholarship, with an endowment totaling approximately $150,000, is one of the university’s largest and benefits two students each year, according to Wendy Lowery, vice chancellor for Advancement.
Speaking at the gathering, RCC graduate Kimberly Fuqua said the scholarship transformed her life.
“When I went back to school as an older student and a single mom, I couldn’t afford internet service, so I spent a lot of time in RCC’s library,” Fuqua said. “When I got the scholarship, the first thing I did was get internet, so I could study at home with my family.”
Joshua Malcolm, UNCP’s chief legal counsel, was inspired by Pierce’s example and aided by his scholarship. Malcolm was the first recipient of the Pierce Scholarship at N.C. Central’s School of Law.
“It was my third year in law school,” Malcolm said. “I was too young to have known him, but I learned who Julian Pierce was.”
Pierce sought justice through the law and health care, helping to found Lumbee River Legal Service and Robeson County Health Care Corporation.
Lycurous Lowry taught Pierce at Hawkeye School in Hoke County, where he graduated first in his class at age 16.
“He was an outstanding student,” Lowry said. “His grew up very poor. His mother raised five children by herself.”
Angelica McIntyre, a young assistant district attorney in Robeson County, grew up in Pierce’s shadow in Pembroke.
“I’ve been told that Julian Pierce was courageous and not afraid to take a stand,” McIntyre said. “He paved the way for all of us.”
“A man of peace” is how Pembroke Mayor Greg Cummings described Pierce.
“Just shaking his hand you could tell he was a man of integrity,” Cummings said.
An American Indian, Pierce worked for all people, black, white and Indian, said his daughter Julia Pierce, also an attorney.
“When the scholarship was set up, the family was asked if it should go to Native American students,” Pierce said. “We said it should be available to all students because that’s what my father would have wanted.”
Julian Pierce was running for the office of Superior Court judge when he was murdered on March 26, 1988, at his home in the Wakulla community. His name remained on the primary ballot, and although not officially counted, some campaign workers and reporters counted the votes and declared Pierce had received 10,787 votes to 8,231 for Joe Freeman Britt, who was declared the winner.
Some continue to believe the murder was a political assassination, but an investigation determined it was a domestic crime.
“I was 17 when my father was murdered,” Julia Pierce said. “I feel like I’ve spent my whole life trying to get the case reopened. Our hope is the truth will be finally known.”
Pierce is petitioning Gov. Roy Cooper to ask the State Bureau of Investigation to reopen the case.
Lumbee Tribal Chairman Harvey Godwin was a friend of Pierce’s and his campaign manager at the time of his death. He started the scholarship many years ago and joined the committee to organize the dinner and art auction.
“Julian Pierce’s headstone is engraved with the words, ‘Keep the Vision,’” Godwin said. “To keep a vision, you have to have a vision, and he did. He shared it and people got it.”
Area artists contributed work for a silent auction and a live auction after dinner, which saw 15 pieces sold, including some vintage prints from the former “Strike at the Wind!” Art Auction and Dinner.
