Indians Wanted In Klan

Press, Volume CV, Issue 31017, 24 March 1966, Page 20

Indians Wanted In Klan

(N.Z.P.A. Reuter—-Copyright) RALEIGH (North Carolina), March 22. The Ku Klux Klan hopes to recruit members of the Lumbee Indian tribe who, on a well-publicised occasion eight years ago, broke up a Klan meeting with gunfire and war whoops.

The Klan’s Imperial Wizard (Mr Robert Shelton) of Alabama, is planning to visit North Carolina this week to try to arrange a meeting with the Lumbee in hopes of recruiting them, according to the Grand Dragon of North Carolina, Mr J. Robert Jones,

The Indians do not have a reservation and live in the south-eastern part of the State.

The Klan was to have had a cross burning next Sunday at Maxton, North Carolina, scene of its humiliating rout by the Lumbees in 1958. But a Court has issued an injunction banning the rally after reports that the Lumbees were stockpiling rifles, telescopic sights, shotguns, dynamite, and even hand-granades—pre-sumably for a return engagement.

Mr Jones said: “We want to ally with the Indian and see he gets civil rights from the Government. The Indians have never had an ally and if we’re going to give civil rights to the Niggers, we’re going to give them to the Indians.”

Mr Simeon Oxendine, one of the leaders of the Lumbees who has long opposed the Klan’s racist philosophy, commented: “I don’t think Jones is in a position to give anything to anyone. I think the Constitution gives us our rights.”