Rest in peace to Mr. Murrill Morris Lowry

Rest in peace to Mr. Murrill Morris Lowry, one quite remarkable man. I had to privilege of doing an interview with Mr. Murrill five years ago at his home in Indianapolis, Indiana. He shared some wonderful stories with me. Mr. Murrill was the first Lumbee to obtain a Ph.D., was a college professor and was the Public Safety Director for the City of Indianapolis. There were only a few police officers working for local municipalities here in Robeson County at the time he was named to the post in 1973 in Indianapolis, one of the largest cities in America.

He was reserved about his own accomplishments, and remarked his proudest accomplishments in life were seeing his children graduate from Ivy league colleges, including two who were valedictorians at Harvard. Mr. Murrill was no stranger to honors. He was the first valedictorian at the first Pembroke High School, which opened in 1939 as the first nationally accredited Indian school in America. He was one of 118 UNC Pembroke college students drafted into World War II. He was seriously wounded and nearly died in combat in France in 1945, remaining hospitalized until 1946.

A guy who truly represented his Lumbee people and his country well…RIP Mr. Murrill…