In 1887, the Croatan Indians, now the Lumbee, petitioned the state legislature to establish a normal school to train Indian teachers for the county’s tribal schools. With state permission, they raised the requisite funds, along with some state assistance, which proved inadequate. Several tribal leaders donated money and privately held land for schools. The Croatans built the Indian Normal School which evolved into the University of North Carolina at Pembroke.
The petition submitted to establish the school was signed by 67 Croatans and 6 “white citizens.” The Croatan signers are shown below.
| First | Last |
| James | Oxendine |
| Alamander (sic) | Locklear |
| Isham | Locklear |
| J.H. | Harris |
| James | Braboy |
| B.J. | Chavis |
| James | Bullard |
| Robert | Collins |
| Machire | Locklear |
| Evander | Blue |
| Malakiah | Locklear |
| Nelson | Locklear |
| Alexander | Locklear |
| J.P. | Locklear |
| Neill | Oxendine |
| Solomon | Oxendine |
| Jordan | Oxendine |
| Purvie | Jacobs |
| Murdoch | Chavis |
| A.J. | Lowrie |
| Peter | Dial |
| Thomas | Dees |
| Thomas | Sanderson |
| Hector | Locklear |
| J.W. | Oxendine |
| Magilbra | Braboy |
| William L. | Locklear |
| Harrison | Ransome |
| James | Dial |
| Soliman | Locklear |
| Winslow | Locklear |
| Isham | Locklear |
| Peter | Bullard |
| Isaac | Brayboy |
| Turner | Lowerie |
| W.L. | Moore |
| Zion | Lowrie |
| Hugh | Oxendine |
| J.L. | Monroe |
| Asbury | Oxendine |
| N.A. | Locklear |
| Henry | Brayboy |
| A.J. | Revels |
| Nelson | Chavis |
| A. | Bullard |
| William | Goins |
| Archie | Oxendine |
| G.W. | Lowrie |
| Isac | Braboy |
| John E. | Oxendine |
| Wesley | Bullard |
| Thomas | Locklear |
| James I. | Lowrie |
| J.J. | Oxendine |
| Preston | Locklear |
| J.C. | McEachin, Jr. |
| Willey | Jacobs |
| Joseph | Locklear |
| Brown | Lowerie |
| Alva | Oxendine |
| J.W. | Willis |
| Jack | Oxendine |
| Wm. | Jacobs |
| Hector | Sanderson |
| Israel | Rodgers |
| Paisly | Sanderson |
Thanks to Jazzy Jeff for finding this list of names.
Native Heritage Project 
Our people never call themselves Croatan. They knew where they came from and who their peoples was. Hamilton McMillian made up his own description of our people. He was a politician and people believe a white man over a group of trusting Indians any day. That is why we need to tell our own stories from our elders. My grand clan mothers told us the truth and we know the true stories, so lets tell them to each other and believe
If you don’t mind me asking, what is the Lumbee tribe’s heritage?