When I was just a boy, the KKK announced a night rally in my home county of Robeson, NC -- a poor farming community made up of Black, white, and American Indian folks like my family -- proud members of the Lumbee tribe.
The Klan called us “mongrels” and “half breeds". Despite warnings from the police chief that our community would not tolerate their hate, fifty Klansmen arrived at Hayes Pond on the night of January 18, 1958. Not a bad turnout for a winter evening.
The only problem is they were greeted by 400 Lumbees - barbers, sharecroppers, even expectant mothers -- ready to defend their neighbors and strike back against the Klan’s bigotry and intimidation.
The Battle of Hayes Pond became a forgotten part of history. But I'm bringing the legacy of Hayes Pond with me as I run to become the first Native American to represent North Carolina in Congress. I hope you’ll join us in this historic race and help win this battleground seat.
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