The Robeson County History Museum will look at two African-American pioneers with Robeson County ties at its next lecture series Monday, February 27th at 7:00 p.m. at museum located at 101 S. Elm Street, Lumberton.
The program “Overcoming – A Struggle to Make a Difference” will be presented by Museum Director K. Blake Tyner.
Imagine seeing your first airplane in the 1920s and wanting nothing more than to climb in and learn to fly. It took almost fifty years but not only did she learn to fly but she started flight schools. Imagine moving from Raleigh to Maxton in the 1870s to teach and not knowing anyone in your new town. Not only did he teach but he went forward to build schools. Now imagine being an African-American and doing these things.

Ida Van Smith was born in 1917 in Lumberton and this is where her interest in aviation began as a young child. She took an interest in barnstorming and wing-walking exhibitions in Lumberton. It would be almost fifty years later before she became a licensed pilot. She found the Ida Van Smith Flight Clubs in 1967, introducing children aged three through nineteen to the careers that aviation and space had to offer.

Charles Hunter born a slave in Wake County went on to become an educator and editor. Hunter was prominent in the effort to provide better educational facilities for black students in North Carolina and was instrumental in having several schools for black students constructed in the state. Hunter’s first teaching job was in Maxton and his time there is documented in his publication “Review of Negro Life in North Carolina with My Recollections”.
The series will be held the last Monday of each month and will promote aspects of Robeson County’s history. For more information call 910-827-5504 or bbtyner@gmail.com.