Digital Scholarship and Initiatives

Profile of Milton Hunt, who is in his ninth term as mayor of Pembroke and was elected Lumbee tribal chief in November, 2001. Hunt will continue his term as mayor but in April, 2002 will step down as chairperson of the Robeson County Democratic Party. Hunt and the 23 elected tribal representatives will serve three-year terms. They will oversee the tribe's affairs, manage government aid awarded to the tribe, and continue the tribe's efforts to obtain federal recognition. Hunt, born in 1944 to Harley and Josephine Sampson Hunt, has always lived in Pembroke. Hunt attended Pembroke High School, where he showed leadership abilities early on. Hunt is semi-retired from his company, Milton Hunt Dry Wall Construction. Under his leadership, Pembroke's commercial development was increased 200% since 1991, its tax base has grown from $20 million in 1987 to more than $80 million, its population has increased to 2,600 people, and nearly 35,000 people live in a 5-7 mile radius.