Adolph Dial

Last updated
Adolph Lorenz Dial
Born(1922-12-12)December 12, 1922
Prospect, North Carolina, United States
DiedDecember 24, 1995(1995-12-24) (aged 73)
Alma mater Pembroke State College (1943) [1]
Occupation(s)Historian, professor, writer
Spouse(s)Ruth Jones Dial (1948-1988; deceased)
Harriet Elisabeth Caligan (1990-1995; his death)

Adolph Lorenz Dial was an American historian, professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and a specialist in American Indian Studies. Dial was a member of the Lumbee Tribe and a graduate of Pembroke State College, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in social studies. Soon after graduating, Dial enlisted with the United States Army, completing a tour of duty in the European theater of World War II. Post-military, Dial obtained his master's degree and an advanced certificate in social studies from Boston University. Hired by Pembroke State College in 1958, Dial would go on to create the college's American Indian Studies program, the first of its kind at any university in the Southeast. In addition to his role in academia, Dial was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for a single term. Over the course of his career, Dial devoted the majority of his academic work towards enriching and publicizing the history of the Lumbee Tribe and its importance within the history of North Carolina, and within the greater narrative of Native American peoples. Dial died on December 24, 1995, 12 days after his 73rd birthday.

Contents

Early life and career

Dial was born in Prospect, North Carolina, the son of Mary Ellen Moore and Noah Dial. He was the only son of three children, the other two being Rosa Woods and Grace Locklear. Dial grew up with his parents and siblings on the family farm and attended Indian schools throughout his childhood; ultimately, Dial stayed close to home in Robeson County when he went to university for a bachelor's degree in social studies at Pembroke State University. [1] Soon after graduation, Dial, with only $18 in his pocket and World War II raging, enlisted with the United States Army; during his tour, Dial was involved in the invasion of Europe, which led to his aiding in the liberation of concentration camps, receiving six battle stars by the end of his period of enlistment. [1] Upon returning from the war, Dial sought further education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but was denied admission due to his ethnicity being labelled as 'non-white'. Despite the setback, Dial applied for admission to Boston University and graduated with a master's of education in social studies in 1953 and an advanced certification from the university in 1958. [1]

Tenure at UNC-Pembroke

Hired in 1958, Dial was a faculty member of the history department, but is most well known for his creation of the university's American Indian Studies department; first established in 1972, Dial utilized the growing national interest with the United States government and the general public to secure funding for the program. For several years, the program was the only curriculum in American Indian studies throughout the entire Southeastern United States. [1] Dial would quickly become a nationally recognized authority on American Indian studies, as well as a leading figure for the Lumbee tribe nationally. Dial's expertise led him to eventually be appointed to serve on the American Indian Policy Review Commission, helping tribes across the country by reviewing the effects on Native Americans of federal legislation and policy. During his time at UNC-Pembroke, Dial was also able to secure a grant from the Ford Foundation; realizing the minuscule amount of information relating to the Lumbee Tribe, the foundation's grant led to Dial's collaboration with fellow UNC-P professor David Eliades in creating The Only Land I Know: A History of the Lumbee Indians. [1] He became well known for his claim that the Lumbee were descendants of the Lost Colony and claimed he was a direct descendant of Virginia Dare. [2] Following his first book, Dial was the author of another title pertaining to Lumbee history, this time called The Lumbee, which was published as part of a 64-volume series on Native Americans of North America. Dial retired from his professorial duties at UNC-Pembroke in 1988 after 30 years of service with the university. [1]

Work outside of UNC-Pembroke

Dial became a renowned figure in American Indian Studies not only at UNC-Pembroke, but also on the state and national stage. Dial's work became commonplace in state publications and even reached a national audience, such as his being published in U.S. News & World Report in 1984. [1] Dial also became a spokesperson for American Indians in his political capacities; in 1972, Dial was invited to attend the 1972 Democratic National Convention, the first American Indian delegate to be extended an invitation to a national political convention of its caliber. [3] In 1991, Dial was elected to serve as a representative in the North Carolina House of Representatives for a single term. Health issues prevented him from running for a second term to the delegation. Dial also was a businessman, forming Adolph Dial Enterprises; this undertaking led to the formation of two shopping centers, Village Center and Colony Plaza in Pembroke, North Carolina. Perhaps Dial's most successful venture came in the form of helping to start the Lumbee Bank in 1971, and serving on its first board of directors. The bank survives to this day, operating fourteen branches across three counties. [1] Dial was also a founder of the Robeson County Church and Civic Center, and served on the board of directors for the Lumbee Regional Development Association.

Personal life

During his lifetime, Dial was married twice. The first time was to Ruth Jones Dial on June 12, 1948, who remained his spouse until her death on May 6, 1988. After his first wife's death, Dial remarried to Harriet Elisabeth Calligan on December 15, 1990, in Moore County, North Carolina. [3] Dial was a lifelong member of Prospect United Methodist Church.

Death

Adolph Dial died on December 24, 1995. By the end of his life, Dial suffered complications due to heart disease, diabetes and cancer. His last years were also marked by blindness, onset from his diabetes; despite this, Dial was able to identify people by their voices and body shapes. [1] He was 73 years of age at his time of death. He is buried next to his first wife Ruth Jones Dial in the cemetery at Prospect United Methodist Church. [4]

Legacy

As one of the first people to give an in-depth history of the Lumbee people, Dial was instrumental in helping garner public attention to the tribe and its history.[ citation needed ] His work in American Indian Studies helped pave the way for various departments and curriculum to form across the Southeastern United States. On a state level, Dial received numerous accolades including the North Carolina Folk Award and the Jefferson Award, as well as being named "Tar Heel of the Week" by the Raleigh News and Observer . [1] Dial also received honorary doctorates from Greensboro College in 1985 and UNC-Pembroke in 1988. [1] The Dial Humanities Building on the campus of UNC-Pembroke houses the English and Theater, History, and Foreign Language departments of the university. [5] The Adolph L. Dial Amphitheater on the university's campus is a dedication towards his philanthropic work, [6] and regularly performed the play Strike at the Wind! for the community until 2007. [7] In 2021, Dr. Adolph L. Dial Endowed Professorship of American Indian Studies was named at UNC-Pembroke in his honor. [8]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Robeson County, North Carolina</span> County in North Carolina, United States

Robeson County is a county in the southern part of the U.S. state of North Carolina and is its largest county by land area. Its county seat and largest community is Lumberton. The county was formed in 1787 from part of Bladen County and named in honor of Thomas Robeson, a colonel who had led Patriot forces in the area during the Revolutionary War. As of the 2020 census, the county's population was 116,530. It is a majority-minority county; its residents are approximately 38 percent Native American, 22 percent white, 22 percent black, and 10 percent Hispanic. It is included in the Fayetteville-Lumberton-Pinehurst, NC Combined Statistical Area. The state-recognized Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is headquartered in Pembroke.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pembroke, North Carolina</span> Town in North Carolina, United States

Pembroke is a town in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States. It is about 90 miles inland and northwest from the Atlantic Coast. The population was 2,823 at the 2020 census. The town is the seat of the state-recognized Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, as well as the home of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.

Prospect is a census-designated place (CDP) in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States. The population was 690 at the 2000 census. Located due northeast of Pembroke, Prospect is a traditionally Methodist community, with its church members largely becoming representatives for the entirety of the American Indian-Methodist community. Prospect is noted for one of its native sons, Adolph Dial, whose contributions to American Indian Studies have led to an heightened awareness of the local Lumbee Tribe and Native Americans throughout the Southeastern United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">University of North Carolina at Pembroke</span> Public university in Pembroke, North Carolina, US

The University of North Carolina at Pembroke is a public university in Pembroke, North Carolina. UNC Pembroke is a master's level degree-granting university and part of the University of North Carolina system. Its history is intertwined with that of the Lumbee nation.

The Lumbee are a Native American community primarily centered in Robeson, Hoke, Cumberland, and Scotland counties in North Carolina. The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is a state-recognized tribe in North Carolina numbering approximately 55,000 enrolled members.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Battle of Hayes Pond</span> 1958 armed confrontation near Maxton, North Carolina, US

The Battle of Hayes Pond, also known as the Battle of Maxton Field or the Maxton Riot, was an armed confrontation between members of a Ku Klux Klan (KKK) organization and Lumbee people at a Klan rally near Maxton, North Carolina, on the night of January 18, 1958. The clash resulted in the disruption of the rally and a significant amount of media coverage praising the Lumbees and condemning the Klansmen.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lumber River</span> River in North Carolina, United States

The Lumber River, sometimes referred to as the Lumbee River, is a 133-mile-long (214 km) river in south-central North Carolina in the flat Coastal Plain. European settlers first called the river Drowning Creek, which is still used as the name of its headwater. The waterway known as the Lumber River extends downstream from the Scotland County-Hoke County border to the North Carolina-South Carolina border. Soon after crossing into South Carolina, the Lumber River flows into the Little Pee Dee River, which flows into the Pee Dee River, or Great Pee Dee River. Finally, the combined waters flow into Winyah Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">UNC Pembroke Braves</span> Athletic teams representing University of North Carolina at Pembroke

The UNC Pembroke Braves are the athletic teams that represent the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, located in Pembroke, North Carolina, in NCAA Division II intercollegiate sports.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina</span> State-recognized tribe in North Carolina, United States

The Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina is a state-recognized tribe in North Carolina. The tribe represents Lumbee people. They do not hold federal recognition as a Native American tribe. All three Cherokee tribes — the Eastern Band, the Cherokee Nation, and the United Keetoowah Band of Cherokee Indians — have denied that the Lumbee are their own tribe, instead insisting they are Cherokee, and are vocal opponents of granting the Lumbee federal recognition.

The Lumbee Regional Development Association (LRDA) is a nonprofit corporation, chartered by the State of North Carolina in 1968, organized to analyze and develop solutions for the health, educational, economic, and general welfare problems of rural and urban Indians in and around Robeson County. Its effective domain includes, but is not limited to, the Counties of Robeson, Hoke, Scotland, and Bladen, i.e., North Carolina’s Planning Region N. Federally funded programs are currently administered by the Lumbee citizens of these neighboring counties, from the LRDA offices in Pembroke, North Carolina. LRDA currently serves over 20,600 people each year. In July 2009, it had 62 full-time employees.

Arlinda Locklear is an American lawyer of Native American origin from the Lumbee tribe. Locklear, who is often cited as the first Native American woman to argue a case before the U.S. Supreme Court, has actually followed in the footsteps of Lyda Conley, who was the first Native American and Native American woman admitted to argue a case before the US Supreme Court. Locklear is noted as an expert in Native American law and tribal recognition litigation. She represented the Lumbee tribe in its quest for federal recognition from 1987 until 2010.

Ruth Dial Woods was an American educator and activist. A member of the Lumbee Tribe of North Carolina, she was the first woman to serve as the associate superintendent of the Robeson County Public Schools and to receive an at-large appointment to the University of North Carolina Board of Governors. After teaching in the public school system of Robeson County for 27 years, she joined the faculty at Fayetteville State University. In addition to her work as an educator, Woods was involved in the Civil Rights Movement, the Women's liberation movement, and the American Indian Movement. She has served as a community development consultant for the United States Department of Labor and as a consultant for the Lumbee Tribal Council for administration of tribal programs. The recipient of numerous awards and honors for her work in human rights and education, in 2011, she was inducted into the North Carolina Women's Hall of Fame.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Horace Locklear</span> American politician (1942–2024)

Horace Locklear was an American politician and attorney who served in the North Carolina House of Representatives from 1977 until 1983. A member of the Lumbee tribe, he was the first Native American to practice law in North Carolina.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Henry Ward Oxendine</span> American lawyer and politician (1940–2020)

Henry Ward Oxendine was an American lawyer and politician who served as a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for the 21st District from 1973 to 1976. A member of the Lumbee tribe, he was the first Native American to serve in the North Carolina General Assembly.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Moss Neck, North Carolina</span> Community in Robeson County, North Carolina

Moss Neck is a community in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States.

Pates is a community in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Scuffletown, North Carolina</span>

Scuffletown was a community in Robeson County, North Carolina, United States in the 1700s and 1800s dominated by Lumbee Native Americans. The exact location of the community, the date of its creation, and the origin of its name are unclear. The community, which had no formal government, encompassed swampy territory dotted with small farms and simple cabins. Most Scuffletonians were poor and made livings by growing crops, hunting and fishing, picking berries, or performing labor for neighboring farmers.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Old Main (University of North Carolina at Pembroke)</span> United States historic place

The Old Main is a historic building on the campus of the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in Pembroke, North Carolina. Completed in 1923, it was the first brick building on the university's campus, then known as the Cherokee Indian Normal School of Robeson County. The building originally hosted classrooms, auditorium space, and administrative offices. After administrative officials moved to a new building in 1949, the structure acquired the "Old Main" name. Since it was used for other community events, it gained additional importance to the primarily Native American student body at the school. Old Main was slated for destruction in 1972, but this decision was overturned after protests by community members. A fire, likely the result of arson, gutted the building in 1973. It was listed on the National Register of Historic Places in 1976 and fully restored and reopened in 1979. It presently hosts several university departments and student media outlets.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brooke Locklear Clark</span> American jurist

Brooke Locklear Clark is a District Court Judge for Robeson County, North Carolina since she was sworn in on August 1, 2018. Clark is a Robeson County native born in Pembroke, NC.

References

  1. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 Oxendine, Linda (4 September 2013) Web. 8 Apr. 2015. Remembering Adolph Dial: A Man for All Seasons Archived April 27, 2015, at the Wayback Machine Laurinburg Exchange
  2. ↑ Nieuwsma, Milton (August 18, 1987) Virginia Dare's 400TH Year Of Mystery Chicago Tribune
  3. 1 2 "Remembering Adolph Dial"
  4. ↑ "Adolph Lorenz 'Mr. Adolph' Dial"
  5. ↑ "Dial Humanities Building", last modified on October 15, 2012
  6. ↑ "Adolph Dial". dlib.uncp.edu. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
  7. ↑ "Strike at the Wind!"
  8. ↑ Locklear, Mark (2021-04-30). "UNCP establishes the Dr. Adolph L. Dial Endowed Professorship of American Indian Studies". Robesonian. Retrieved 2022-07-16.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.