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Waccamaw Siouan Indian Presence
The Waccamaw Siouan Indians are one of several autonomous tribes, known colloquially as "eastern Siouans", whose territories extended through Columbus County prior to European settlement in the 16th Century. During the Tuscarora War and Yamasee War, tribal numbers were greatly reduced and resulted in the people's retreat to the swamps near Lake Waccamaw. Throughout the 17th Century, Waccamaw Siouans are notablyabsent from the historical record, only appearing towards the end of the century when the U.S. Census recorded common Waccamaw surnames among peoples of small isolated communities.

In 1910, the earliest known governmental body of the Waccamaw Indians was officialy created--the Council of Wide Awake Indians. The council's primary objectives were to obtain public funding for Indian schools, and to eventually obtain federal recognition. The council was successful in opening its first publicly funded school in 1933 and others soon following; however, lack of funding from taxpayers helped to significantly fuel the the council's campaign for federal recognition in 1940.

The name Waccamaw Siouan was first officially used by the United States government in 1949, when a bill intended to grant the tribe federal recognition was introduced before Congress. While the bill was defeated in committee the following year, changes in federal policy during the 1960s and 1970s regarding public funding and economic assistance led to the Waccamaw benefiting from government programs without federal recognition.

Though the Waccamaw Siouan are not federally recognized, they have been recognized by the North Carolina Commission of Indian Affairs since 1971. Tribal leadership is provided and maintained by the Waccamaw Siouan Sevelopment Association (WSDA), a nonprofit group founded in 1972. The group is headed by a nine-member board of directors, elected by a secret ballot that is open to all tribal members over the age of 18; in addition, the board includes a chief, whose role is largely symbolic.

Churches in Prospect
Unlike the majority of Robeson County, the boundary of Prospect Community contains almost exclusively Methodist churches; the Methodist churches included within Prospect are Prospect United Methodist Church, Prospect Methodist Church, New Prospect Church, and New Prospect Methodist Church. Prospect United Methodist Church was itself founded by the Reverend W.L. Moore, the grandfather of Adolph Dial, founder of the American Indian Studies department at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Notably, Island Grove Baptist Church is the only non-Methodist church in the community, having broken-off from the theology to join the Burnt Swamp Baptist Association in 1955.

Importance of Prospect United Methodist Church
The pillar of Prospect community is Prospect United Methodist Church, or as it's been known since it first appeared in the Wilmington Star in 1871, Prospect Church. The importance of Prospect Church to the community is best told through the vast assembly of its buildings, spanning a distance of 150 yards along W.L. Moore Road; this series of buildings, known as the "Temple" serves the largest congregation of Native Americans in the United States. The construction of the church, which would become the basis for the founding of Prospect Community, was due in large part to the efforts of local farmers in the area, allowing them to come together relative to their shared space. Over the course of the years major construction projects leading to new buildings were completed in 1865, 1876, 1895, 1946, 1961, 1970, 1976, 1987 and 1989. Though no longer standing, the original structure built in 1865 and the second structure built in 1876, were both made of logs and pegs, with the 1865 sructure also serving as a single-room schoolhouse. The 1895 assembly, the last structure to be made out of timber, still stands today behind Moore's Chainsaw. The church is now the main producer of spokespeople for Lumbee Methodist, with members attending national conferences as representatives and delegates for the American Indian-Methodist community. The church also has had an active role in the community's schools and education, with a daily worship service offered by the church to local high school students, and the establishment of the Anderson Scholarship Fund to help benefit those who pursue church vocations as a result of being a part of the youth services.

Adolph Dial
A notable member of Prospect Methodist Church, Adolph Dial was the Founding Chairman of the Department of American Indian Studies at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke. Born in Prospect in 1922 to Noah and Mary Ellen Dial, Dial would become a leading authority in academia for not only the Lumbee tribe, but also among North Carolinian and national historians in the field of Native American studies. Though Dial gained statewide recognition soon after his employment at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke in 1958, Dial grew to national prominence during his tenure on the American Indian Policy Review Commission. In 1971, the Ford Foundation provided Dial and fellow history professor at UNC-P, David Eliades a great for continued research on the Lumbee Indians--this in turn led to the publication of the 1975 ethnography, The Only Land I Know: A History of the Lumbee Indians, an expansive history of the tribe covering its' history from colonialism through the modern-day. Dial's contributions have led to the establishment of scholarly awards in his name at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, as well the naming of the Dial Humanities Building on the school's campus.

Adolph Lorenz Dial was an American historian, professor of history at the University of North Carolina at Pembroke, and a nationally renowned figure in the field of American Indian Studies. Dial was a member of the Lumbee Tribe and a graduate of Pembroke State College, where he obtained a bachelor's degree in social studies. Soon after graduating, Dial enlisted with the United States Army, completing a tour of duty in the European theater of World War II. Post-military, Dial obtained his master's degree and an advanced certificate in social studies from Boston University. Hired by Pembroke State College in 1958, Dial would go on to create the college's American Indian Studies program, the first of its kind at any university in the Southeast. In addition to his role in academia, Dial was a member of the North Carolina House of Representatives for a single term. Over the course of his career, Dial devoted the majority of his academic work towards enriching and publicizing the history of the Lumbee Tribe and its importance within the history of North Carolina, and within the greater narrative of Native American peoples. Dial passed away on December 24, 1995, 12 days after his 73rd birthday.

Early life and career
Dial was born in Prospect, North Carolina, the son of Mary Ellen Moore and Noah Dial. He was the only son of three children, the other two being Rosa Woods and Grace Locklear. Dial grew up with his parents and siblings on the family farm and attended Indian schools throughout his childhood; ultimately, Dial stayed close to home in Robeson County when he went to university for a bachelor's degree in social studies at Pembroke State University. Soon after graduation, Dial, with only $18 in his pocket and World War II raging, enlisted with the United States Army; during his tour, Dial was involved in the invasion of Europe, as well as aiding in the liberation of concentration camps, receiving six battle stars by the end of his period of enlistment. Upon returning from the war, Dial sought further education at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, but was denied admission due to his ethnicity being labelled as 'non-white'. Despite the setback, Dial applied for admission to Boston University and graduated with a master's of education in social studies in 1953 and an advanced certification from the university in 1958.

Tenure at UNC-Pembroke
Hired in 1958, Dial was a faculty member of the history department, but is most well-known for his creation of the university's American Indian Studies department; first established in 1972, Dial utilized the growing national interest with the United States government and the general public to secure funding for the program. For several years, the program stood as the only curriculum in American Indian studies throughout the entire Southeastern United States. Dial would quickly become a nationally recognized authority on American Indian studies, as well as a leading figure for the Lumbee tribe nationally. Dial's expertise led him to eventually be appointed to serve on the American Indian Policy Review Commission, helping tribes across the country by reviewing the effects on Native Americans of federal legislation and policy. During his time at UNC-Pembroke, Dial was also able to secure a grant from the Ford Foundation; realizing the miniscule amount of information relating to the Lumbee Tribe, the foundation's grant led to Dial's collaboration with fellow UNC-P professor David Eliades in creating The Only Land I Know: A History of the Lumbee Indians. Following his first book, Dial was author of another title pertaining to Lumbee history, this time called The Lumbee, which was published as part of a 64-volume series on Native Americans of North America. Dial retired from his professorial duties at UNC-Pembroke in 1988 after 30 years of service with the university.

Work outside of UNC-Pembroke
Dial became a renowned figure in American Indian Studies not only at UNC-Pembroke, but also on the state and national stage. Dial's work became commonplace in state publications and even reached a national audience, such as his being published in U.S. News and World Report in 1984. Dial also became a spokesperson for American Indians in his political capacities; in 1972, Dial was invited to attend the Democratic National Convention, the first American Indian delegate to be extended an invitation to a national political convention of its caliber. In 1991, Dial was elected to serve as a representative in the North Carolina House of Representatives for a single term. Health issues prevented him from running for a second term to the delegation. Dial also was a businessman, forming Adolph Dial Enterprises; this undertaking led to the formation of two shopping centers, Village Center and Colony Plaza in Pembroke, North Carolina. Perhaps Dial's most successful venture came in the form of helping to start the Lumbee Bank in 1971, and serving on its first board of directors. The bank survives to this day, operating fourteen branches across three counties. Dial was also a founder of the Robeson County Church and Civic Center, and served on the board of directors for the Lumbee Regional Development Association.

Death
Adolph Dial passed away on December 24, 1995. By the end of his life, dial suffered complications due to heart disease, diabetes and cancer. His last years were also marked by blindness, onset from his diabetes; despite this, Dial was able to identify people by their voices and body shapes. He was 73 years of age at his time of death. He is buried next to his first wife Ruth Jones Dial in the cemetery at Prospect United Methodist Church.

Personal life
During his lifetime, Dial was married twice. The first time was to Ruth Jones Dial on June 12, 1948, who remained his spouse until her death on May 6, 1988. After his first wife's passing, Dial remarried to Harriet Elisabeth Calligan on December 15, 1990 in Moore County, North Carolina. Dial was a lifelong member of Prospect United Methodist Church.

Legacy
As one of the first people to give an in-depth history of the Lumbee people, Dial was instrumental in helping garner public attention to the tribe and its history. His work in American Indian Studies helped paved the way for various departments and curriculum to form across the Southeastern United States. On a state level, Dial received numerous accolades including the North Carolina Folk Award and the Jefferson Award, as well as being named "Tar Heel of the Week" by the Raleigh News and Observer. Dial also received honorary doctorates from Greensboro College in 1985 and UNC-Pembroke in 1988. The Dial Humanities Building on the campus of UNC-Pembroke houses the English and Theater, History, and Foreign Language departments of the university. The Adolph L. Dial on the university's campus is a dedication towards his philanthropic work, and regularly performed the play, Strike at the Wind! for the community until 2007.