Lumbee Video Project Gets Lift from Harvey Godwin

A UNC Pembroke video project on the spirit and culture of the Lumbee people has received a boost from an old friend.

Harvey Godwin, a 1991 graduate and owner/manager of Two Hawk Employment Services, has contributed $500 to help produce "Lumbee by Grace: Landmarks in Lumbee Identity."

Produced by the Native American Resource Center, the 30-minute video consists of on-camera interviews with Lumbees talking about what it is to be Lumbee. Mr. Godwin said the project has captured his imagination immediately.

"This is the most important film ever made on the Lumbee people," Mr. Godwin said. "It tells about what it is really like to be Lumbee, our inner being."

Mr. Godwin, who gained notoriety for his portrayal of Lumbee hero Henry Berry Lowrie in the outdoor drama "Strike at the Wind," said the project is important for two reasons.

"Knowing who you are is important in relating to others," he said. "This project will build self-esteem and self-respect among Lumbees, and it will have educational value for how others see us."

The project is a collaboration between the Native American Resource Center, the Department of Mass Communications and UNCP's Media Integration Project. Dr. Stan Knick, director of the Resource Center, co-produced and directed the project and deserves much credit, Mr. Godwin said.

"I have admired Dr. Knick for many years, and he is a great asset to this area, to the museum and to the university," he said.

Dr. Knick thanked Mr. Godwin for his continued support.

"I am pleased that Mr. Godwin is continuing his tradition of caring about the university and this museum," Dr. Knick said. "He embodies the best this university has to offer, and he is always willing to give back to the university."

Dr. Knick said the project, which has been a year in the making, is complete and tapes will mass produced soon.

"We believe we have captured something important about Lumbee culture," he said. "Basically, it is a series of interviews about what it means to be Lumbee. These are people of various backgrounds, ages and genders, with many points of view represented."

Dr. Knick thanked co-producer George Johnson, a television engineer with the Department of Mass Communications, for his technical expertise. Dr. Knick anticipates that the project will eventually be produced on DVD.

The gift to the university was made through Mr. Godwin's company. Two Hawk Employment Services is headquartered in Lumberton, with offices in Laurinburg, Durham and Greensboro.

For more information about contributing to this project or others, please call the Office of Donor Relations at 910.521.6213.

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